This has been one of the worst months in history for the stock markets. The economies around the world have come to a screeching halt and the majority of people around the world have been told to stay away from work and stay away from each other to avoid the spread of COVID-19 virus. While the first 3 weeks may have been the worst in history, the 4th week was the best since the 1930s, as we rallied off the back of government stimulus.
This month brought us some interesting news from Canada, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won the Federal election to return for a second term as the leader of Canada. There has also been some progress in the US/China trade talks and the US Federal Reserve has decided to cut rates once again. We also came closer than ever to a BREXIT deal that eventually was shut down, but it shows there is at least some progress being made. Many of the major headlines have either concluded, are in the process of being resolved or shine a positive light towards the markets. This should give investors more predictability going forward which should drive markets higher.
The market continued its recovery from the Christmas Eve lows as Jerome Powell has reinforced the fact that Federal Reserve will become more patient on raising rates. This along with the progression of US and China trade talks, the market has rallied to recoup some of the losses from the end of last year. In hindsight, that drop appears to be an emotional overreaction for issues that we’re still in the process of reaching a conclusion.