Is PHP serious enough for Online Trading app?

Hi, I love PHP and am nearly a PHP-evangelist and all, but a question was posted to me at work this evening: "Sure, PHP rocks, but is it serious enough to develop an online trading platform with?" My off-the-bat answer was a resounding yes, and that its HOW you develop your architecture, not WHAT language you use that matters. But I am relying on the gurus on this list to corroborate my stand. If we plan properly, make sure that the data exchange between our client's legacy systems etc are all well planned and functional, can someone say that "Yes, it works. But is it as 'robust' and 'scaleable' as Java?" I do know that I am going to be nailed with the availability of already-developed Java components and the lack thereof in PHP. My usual stance is that "Yeah but Java components wont come cheap -- infact millions of dollars in proce tags -- but this client has deep pockets if you know what I mean, and this argument is not going to sell that much." Please -- I need opinions / ideas / advice / wild comments / rants-raves etc! I would appreciate if you could CC your replies to me as well. Thanks a lot in advance! Ben -- I am not a vegetarian because I love animals, I am one because I hate plants. Ben Heuer www.livinginbelgium.com