But "we believe that the Atlantic basin is still in an active hurricane cycle, " William Gray, who co-heads the CSU team, said in December.

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The gains fed a virtuous cycle that sent stocks higher on both sides of the Atlantic, Tchir said.

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If Las Vegas and Atlantic City recover in the U.S., then a new replacement cycle (including the Indian casinos) should boost domestic revenues while new casinos and expansion in Macau and Asia boosts overseas sales.

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"There is other research out there pointing out that this storage may be part of a natural cycle that will eventually reverse, either due to El Nino or the so-called Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and therefore may not imply what the authors are suggesting, " he said.

BBC: Science & Environment