Will Britain's decision to leave the European Union affect Washington state business?



SEATTLE -- Thursday's historic vote in Britain to leave the European Union has many in our region worried about the potential downside it could have locally.

Consider the Washington companies that have a sizable presence in the UK, including Boeing, Amazon, Microsoft, Costco and Starbucks.  And, of course, all these companies do a big business in mainland Europe.  So, if Britain's economy tanks and other EU countries slump, the effects could be felt here.

For those who woke up and looked at IRA and 401k accounts dropping heavily, the best advice is to not panic and to not do anything rash.

"Retirement investing is a long time frame for most people,” said Jill Cornfield of Bankrate.com.  “Anybody more than 10 years from retirement, I think you're shooting yourself in the foot if you look at the markets today and freak out and want to sell.”