United States-Meat shares take a knock in value.

UNITED STATES-UNCERTAINTY OF MEAT SHARES IN WAKE OF FLU CRISIS.

Tyson Foods Inc. and Smithfield Foods Inc. fell in early trading on speculation that the swine- influenza outbreak will decrease consumption of pork.

Tyson dropped $1.18, or 11 percent, to $9.75 at 8:05 a.m., before the start of regular New York Stock Exchange trading. Smithfield declined 94 cents, or 9.1 percent, to $9.38.

Consumers have begun to ask fresh-meat departments at groceries around the country whether pork can transmit the virus, Ken Goldman, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst, wrote today in a note. Goldman lowered his estimates for Tyson and Smithfield earnings this year.

"Though there is no evidence that swine flu can be obtained by eating pork, the fear generated by a disease named after hogs cannot be good for pork consumption," Goldman said.

Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson, which got about 13 percent of it revenue from pork in its previous fiscal year, will have an operating loss of about 23 cents a share in its current fiscal year, compared with an earlier estimate for profit of 22 cents, Goldman said.

Smithfield , the world’s largest pork processor, will have an operating loss of $1.68 a share in the current fiscal year, wider than an earlier projection for a $1.51 loss, he said.

More than 100 people in Mexico have died from the disease, which is normally spread among pigs, and cases have been reported in the U.S. , Canada and Spain . New Zealand said as many as 13 students may have swine flu.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type-A influenza that regularly leads to outbreaks among the animals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three main human flu strains -- H3N2, H1N1 and type B -- circulate and cause 250,000 to 500,000 deaths a year in seasonal epidemics, according to the World Health Organization.