Despite a massive “second wave” of COVID-19 cases in the 4th quarter, the stock market finished the year at an all-time high as vaccines began to be distributed globally.

Despite a significant increase in COVID-19 related deaths and election uncertainty, the stock market rose once again in the 3rd quarter.

Despite medical, economic and social turmoil, the market rebounded in the 2nd quarter to the surprise of most investors. The recovery isn’t exactly what it seems; while the largest tech stocks posted gains, many other companies are still down double digits.

The outset of the 2020’s will be remembered for COVID-19, a global pandemic that shocked financial markets, the healthcare system, and our very way of life.

Stephen: If you want to know more about what’s going on in the stock market right now, and why it’s been a little bit frightening lately, then you’re going to want to watch the rest of this video.

My name is Neal Frankle and I’m going to, over the next 5 or 10 minutes, share with you our firm’s sense of the economy.

Both stocks and bonds appreciated sharply in 2019. The key driver was the Federal Reserve’s sharp U-turn towards accommodative monetary policy.

The third quarter was a choppy one due to uncertainties with the ongoing trade war, Middle East conflict, the never-ending Brexit negotiations, and a presidential impeachment investigation.

U.S. stocks are up a remarkable 18.5% for the first 6 months of 2019—their best first half since 1997 This has been an unusually long U.