041168 Tyson, McDonald's Stock Down on Mad CowNovember 19, 2004New York - The possible new case of mad cow disease being investigated by U.S. agricultural authorities again triggered a slide in shares of companies with ties to the beef industry. The Department of Agriculture is in the midst of making checks of cattle in the U.S. after a cow showed positive for the disease in preliminary tests. Final results won't be known for about a week, but any animals that test positive for mad cow -- known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy -- must be destroyed to stop it from spreading. The news did more than just cause a slump in cattle prices on commodity markets. Companies that rely on beef in its business -- such as Tyson Foods Inc. or McDonald's Corp. -- saw shares tumble as investors braced themselves for the worst. Fast food restaurants were among the hardest hit, and fell further today. McDonald's, the largest U.S. fast-food chain, saw shares fall 74 cents, or 2.5%, to $29.21 on the New York Stock Exchange. Other decliners included Yum Brands Inc., which owns national restaurant brands such as Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. The company's stock fell 39 cents to $43.76 on the NYSE. Wendy's International fell 59 cents, or 1.65%, to $35.24 on the NYSE. CKE Restaurants Inc. -- whose Hardee's Restaurant just unveiled a new 1,420- calorie creation called the "Monster Thickburger" -- saw shares fall 9 cents to $12.26 on the NYSE. Tyson, the nation's largest beef processor, fell 31 cents to $16.32 on the NYSE.
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