The Year of the Rooster will not convulse the world with a disaster as deadly as the Indian ocean tsunami of the Year of the Monkey, but beware of earthquakes and typhoons, especially in the east, soothsayers say.

In the new year of the Chinese lunar cycle, lust will rise and marriage may be inauspicious, but it's fine to have a baby if you are careful. And on the world stage, some measure of peace may be seen in trouble spots such as North Korea and some inroads may finally be made in the war on terror in the Middle East.

"No, no, we won't have anything so catastrophic," said Raymond Lai, a master of fengshui, the ancient Chinese art of living in harmony with the environment and using the elements of gold, wood, water, fire and earth to tap life's energy.

No fortune teller in Hong Kong foresaw the Dec. 26 tsunami that killed about a quarter of a million people.

But with hindsight, they say a fifth yellow star hung over 2004 -- a harbinger of dramatic clashes of earth and water that would leave trails of destruction and death in their wake.

The gods will be more merciful in the Year of the Rooster year, which begins on Feb. 9, but smaller upsets are likely.

But it may be best to avoid anywhere to your east, Lai and his colleagues say.

"The year of the rooster will be ruled by the fourth star, which is of wood and will bring wind. In Asia, it will bring typhoons. Japan and Taiwan will be very badly hit," Lai said.

U.S.-based Chinese astrologer Shelly Wu said the year was especially prone to natural disasters.

"Rooster years are marked by an unusual number of great earthquakes throughout the world ... The geophysical phenomena of plate-shifting and release of tension along the Ring of Fire and North American faults remains a concern," Wu said.

MARRIAGE OUT, LUST IN

As for doomsday warnings from health experts of a lurking flu pandemic, soothsayers in Hong Kong were unimpressed.

"Health crises won't be so dramatic," said Lai.

However, a quirk in the lunar calendar makes this a relatively inauspicious year for marriage. The year begins only after the start of spring, which in fengshui falls on Feb. 3 or 4. This year, the Rooster year begins on Feb. 9 -- a phenomenon that occurs once in three or four years.

"Many of my colleagues say marriage is unsuitable, but I think if you pick a lucky day, it should be alright," Lai said.

Those thinking of having a baby should take care.

"You can have a baby, but you must maintain an even temper, a good temper, or it will upset the air in your womb, that's not ideal for the baby," Lai said.

However, lust will thrive.

"The fourth star is a star of lust. Sex-related diseases will be on the rise," Lai said, referring to the nine stars that rule the universe in fengshui. The Rooster year falls under the fourth star. "The entertainment and the porn industries will thrive."

HOPE FOR PEACE

The rooster's more stabilizing side could bode well for trouble spots, such as the North Korean nuclear stand-off and the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

"The chance of compromise and peaceful settlements over international issues will be easier to achieve," Lo said.

As for the war on terror, astrologers say inroads will be made, but the cost will be high.

"We can expect there will be major gain in the global war against al Qaeda," Lai said. "However, we still cannot expect the year of the rooster to be a peaceful one ... the victory can only be achieved with fierce fighting and heavy casualties."

On money matters, soothsayers say the Rooster year will consolidate and build on the gains made in the Monkey year.

The monkey year marked the start of a 20-year cycle and the rooster year will follow through on those foundations.

"Economic growth will be slower than 2004, but benefits will filter to the working classes. Unemployment will ease, there will be more jobs," said fengshui master Edwin Ma in Hong Kong.

For punters looking to cash in on market fluctuations, 2005 will prove a disappointment.

"The stock markets will be stable, there won't be any huge fluctuations in 2005," Ma said. "Real estate will be stable, there will be no attraction for speculators. But if you are buying for yourself, then this is a good time."

Hong Kong astrologer Eliza Mok, however, thinks the latter half of 2005 will see brighter days. "Especially after July, real estate and stock markets will be up strongly," Mok said.

Editor: Catherine