On Sunday, Congressional leaders in the House and Senate announced that they had finally come to agreement on a long-awaited additional stimulus bill to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of this writing, some of the final details of the bill remain uncertain, and the official vote is expected to happen on Monday.
This year OneAscent Wealth acquired three new offices in Albany, GA, Indian Harbour Beach, FL, and Columbia, TN, to continue growing its team of financial advisors that serve clients nationwide.
US stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 index, declined approximately 1% last week as hospitalizations and deaths in the US from the COVID-19 pandemic reached daily records (Chart 1). Despite these grim milestones, US equities continue to trade near all-time highs as investors anticipate an end to the pandemic in the coming months as vaccines are broadly distributed across the nation and the world.
Investors were rewarded in November as several stock indices provided double-digit monthly returns. Two stories in particular seemed to have driven the stock market surge; significant progress toward COVID-19 vaccinations and the diminishing uncertainty related to the US Presidential election outcome.
2020 has been difficult and challenging for us all. We pray that each of us has been changed for the better, has renewed a focus on family, and that these circumstances truly lead to a better, beautiful way of doing life.
US stocks marched higher during the shortened Thanksgiving trading week, with the S&P 500 ending at an all-time high and the Dow Jones Industrial Average cresting above 30,000 for the first time ever . This week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the November employment report.
In March, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed, which included more than $2 trillion in economic relief for individuals and businesses facing the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. There are several financial benefits and tax incentives that many individuals haven't taken advantage of this year. We have provided a breakdown of the four most significant provisions of the CARES Act and how they can alleviate economic stress during these times.
As we begin a shortened trading week for Thanksgiving, three major pharmaceutical companies have now announced success trials of COVID-19 vaccines. AstraZeneca followed Pfizer and Moderna in bringing forward new tools in the fight against the pandemic.
US stocks continued to move higher last week on the news of positive initial results from Pfizer regarding their COVID-19 vaccine. The S&P 500 index traded up 2% for the week, pushing the year-to-date return to 13% and moving the index to near all-time highs.
After nearly a week of counting votes in swing states, Joe Biden, was declared the winner of the 2020 Presidential Election. Biden gained the victory Saturday morning when a close race in Pennsylvania was called in his favor, pushing his candidacy above the required 270 Electoral College vote threshold.