66 Search Results for: covid
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Market Commentary: Economy Slightly Improves as Restrictions Loosen
Another 2.4 million people filed initial unemployment claims last week. The number has declined for seven straight weeks. Unfortunately, 2.4 million is more than three times higher than the pre-COVID-19 record, and the pace of decline remains slow. Because the number remains stubbornly high, optimism for a sharp economic recovery is dropping.
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Market Commentary: Drop in GDP Expected to Continue
Economic news indicated the economic damage from COVID-19 continues to grow. U.S. gross domestic product shrank 4.8% in the face of the coronavirus and social distancing designed to combat its spread. Next quarter, expectations are for a nearly 30% decline. Initial unemployment claims fell to 3.8 million. The number of claims remains high, and the six-week total is more than 30 million.
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Market Commentary: U.S. and Foreign Leaders Moving to Open More Businesses
Leaders around the world announced steps to open up their economies by gradually reducing social distancing as the global economy continued to struggle. In the U.S., more than four million people filed initial claims for unemployment.
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Market Commentary: Investors Optimistic Over Slowing COVID-19 Cases
Similarly to last week, investors had to weigh progress fighting COVID-19 and what that means for the future against the economic toll the virus and policies designed to slow it are having on the economy.
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Market Commentary: Stocks Rise in Hopes that COVID-19 Slows
Investors were faced with a combination of optimistic and pessimistic news this week and opted to accentuate the positive. Health care data reinforced the gradual success social distancing is having in curtailing the spread of the virus.
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Market Commentary: Unemployment Rises, China’s Recovering Economy
The measures slowing the spread of the coronavirus are dealing severe challenges to the U.S. job market. Social distancing has proven difficult for day cares and dentists, restaurants and retail. As the accompanying chart shows, last week, 6.6 million workers filled for new unemployment benefits.
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CARES Act Summarized
As the stock market hit its lowest returns since the 2008 Financial Crisis, the government stepped in in an attempt to boost the economy.
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Market Commentary: Relief Package Enacted as Unemployment Sharply Rises
Markets look forward and, at least for a week, saw signs government is willing to provide support to get the economy through the coronavirus pandemic. The centerpiece of the steps announced last week was a $2 trillion package designed to keep people employed and support those who have lost their jobs.
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Understanding the Market Situation and the Opportunities Ahead
Understanding the Market Situation and the Opportunities Ahead These are unsettling times, both from a public health perspective and an economic perspective. To help provide answers at a time filled with questions, we put together this webinar: “Understanding the Market Situation and the Opportunities Ahead.” In this on-demand webinar, you’ll learn: ‣ The economic impact of COVID-19 ‣ The federal response to the market downturn and what it may mean for you ‣ The long-term outlook of the situation ‣ Some financial planning opportunities that have presented themselves with the down market Hosting the presentation are...read the full article
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Tax Tips for Business Owners in a COVID World
Facing everything from empty sales floors to painful staff shortages, entrepreneurs have been uniquely hurt by 2020 and the extent of the damage isn’t fully known yet. A Yelp economic impact report released in September found that almost 100,000 small businesses in the country had closed their doors permanently while many others struggle under the current conditions.
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Market Commentary: Rise in COVID-19 Cases Leads to Market Dip Before Holiday Shopping Season
Retail data were mixed last week. U.S. retail sales rose 0.3% in October and are now 5.7% higher than one year ago. But as Figure 1 shows, the increase was the smallest since the recovery began. Increased coronavirus cases in October likely pressured purchases lower and moved consumers online. Non-store retailers reported a 3.1% increase in sales.
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Market Commentary: COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Positive Results and Market Soars Even After Tight Election
Special Update The first COVID-19 vaccine to announce results reported very positive data early Monday morning. Two notable pharmaceutical and biotech companies announced on Monday their COVID-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective. The study also showed there were no side effects observed in the vaccine trial. The effectiveness is higher than many medical experts expected and represents a major step forward in efforts to contain the virus. News on other vaccine trials is expected in coming weeks and months.
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Comparing Traditional Mortgages and Variable-Rate Mortgages in the COVID-19 Economy
Do you know what it was like to buy a house in 1982? You pulled up your Trans Am to the bank where the picture of President Regan hung on the lobby wall and got your checkbook out of your jean jacket. Then you signed up for a 30-year mortgage with a 17% interest rate!
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Market Commentary: S&P Climbs Despite Surge in COVID-19 Cases
Stocks continued to climb in the face of an increasing number of new COVID-19 cases and evidence the surge is stifling the economy’s ability to recover. Initial unemployment claims dipped to 1.3 million, but they have remained above 1 million for 16 consecutive weeks.
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Market Commentary: S&P 500 Dips as COVID-19 Cases Surge
The daily total for new virus cases topped 40,000 as a resurgence in the South and Southwest pushed new cases to an all-time-record high. Some states are reporting record hospitalizations and pausing or reversing reopenings. Initial unemployment claims, as shown in Figure 1, remain close to 1.5 million.
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Market Commentary: Investors Optimistic Over Slowing COVID-19 Cases
Similarly to last week, investors had to weigh progress fighting COVID-19 and what that means for the future against the economic toll the virus and policies designed to slow it are having on the economy.
Read more -
Market Commentary: Stocks Rise in Hopes that COVID-19 Slows
Investors were faced with a combination of optimistic and pessimistic news this week and opted to accentuate the positive. Health care data reinforced the gradual success social distancing is having in curtailing the spread of the virus.
Read more -
Market Commentary: Monthly Job Growth Exceeds Expectations, New Stimulus Bill Advances
The U.S. economy returned to rapid job growth last month as fewer new COVID cases and loosening restrictions increased demand for labor. Restaurants and bars accounted for more than half the net gains, as employment in this hard-hit sector increased 286,000. Despite efforts to reopen schools, government employment dropped last month.
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What to Expect From Low Volatility Investing: Insight into QBI Strategies
During the past decade, ending December 2019, low volatility investing has been embraced by many investors due to above average adjusted performance. With the turn of events, the year 2020 witnessed a negative surprise for low volatility stocks. This surprise further intensified when value investing seemed to make a comeback as COVID-19 vaccines arrived.
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