While we were all cooped up inside, everything was happening out there. Breakthroughs on Brexit and COVID-19 collided with political strife and big moves in bond yields.
Financial markets have been on a rollercoaster over the past year. There was a sharp drop in March as countries locked down and then a swift upswing followed, led by technology shares. Even unloved companies, particularly banks and energy firms, have rebounded lately, thanks to good news about vaccines.
A free trade agreement with the EU avoids damaging tariffs, but other barriers remain.
We close a difficult year with a sense of relief, and the tools to deal with the challenges ahead.
This article makes the case for knowing what’s under the bonnet before investing in innovative new exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Rather than try to reduce it by austerity, inflation or default, the government should focus on keeping the rate of economic growth above the cost of servicing the debt.
Do changes at The Fed mean low rates forever?
Stimulus should be forthcoming and trade uncertainty relieved, even if Congress remains split
As COVID-19 continues to affect our lives and influence economic activity around the world, there’s lots of uncertainty about what the future holds. Localised outbreaks and lockdowns are possible anywhere until a vaccine is found, with the level of unemployment likely to be the key factor driving the pace of the recovery over the next couple of years.