The unprecedented shocks to the global financial system in the last two weeks have left analysts scrambling to recalibrate their economic forecasts. What will these massive jolts mean for online ad spending? While most analysts recently lowered their forecasts yet again, almost across the board they are still predicting fairly bullish growth this year and next. Many are forecasting double-digit growth for online next year, in one case as much as 18 percent.

In this briefing note, “Positive Bias: The Problem With the Latest Online Ad Forecasts,” Lauren Rich Fine, CFA, ContentNext’s Research Director, argues that all of this may be a case of wishful thinking.

Click here to request Lauren’s online ads analysis

Lauren has also put together her second briefing note, Online Fantasy Sports: Growth Outlook Intact:

Tired of the doom and gloom in the financial markets? Looking for growth? It’s fantasy football time of year. Sports content is still an area which will likely continue to grow in spite of the current economic climate. While advertising is its main economic driver, the traffic continues to grow, the opportunities for growth are manifold, and there is also a core base of player fees and subscriptions to cushion the economic woes…

Click here for her online fantasy sports analysis

In addition to Lauren Rich Fine’s role as research director at ContentNext, she serves as a practitioner in residence at Kent State University’s College of Communication and Information. Until recently she was a managing director at Merrill Lynch in Equity Research..