News of a new, highly virulent COVID variant triggered a market sell-off on Friday, sending stocks into negative territory for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.97%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slumped 2.20%. The Nasdaq Composite index lost 3.52% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped 1.68%.1,2,3 |
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Red FridayInvestors woke up on Black Friday to reports of a mutated COVID variant, reviving fears of potential new economic restrictions. U.S. markets were not alone, as stock prices in Europe and Asia also tumbled. Friday’s market action saw declines in economic reopening stocks, such as travel and leisure, cyclicals, financials, and energy, while some of the so-called stay-at-home stocks and pharmaceutical stocks experienced gains. Yields retreated amid a flight to safety and the potential that this turn of events may lead to a slowdown in the Fed’s bond tapering program and a delay in contemplated rate hikes. Prior to Thanksgiving the markets had been choppy, but largely trending higher for the week, while yields had moved up with the renomination of Fed Chair Powell. Powell RenominatedPresident Biden announced last week that he was renominating Jerome Powell to serve another term as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, ending market speculation surrounding his renomination. President Biden cited the need for stability and independence in a time of uncertainty in making his decision. While Powell’s renomination faced resistance, Senate approval appears likely. Coincident with Powell’s renomination, President Biden also nominated Lael Brainard, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, to serve as vice chair. Investors can soon expect further Fed nominations by the Biden Administration to fill vacancies created by term expirations and retirements. This Week: Key Economic DataTuesday: Consumer Confidence. Wednesday: ADP (Automated Data Processing) Employment Report. ISM (Institute for Supply Management) Manufacturing Index. Thursday: Jobless Claims. Friday: Employment Situation. Factory Orders. Source: Econoday, November 26, 2021 This Week: Companies Reporting EarningsTuesday: Salesforce.com, Inc. (CRM), Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE). Wednesday: Okta, Inc. (OKTA), Snowflake, Inc. (SNOW), CrowdStrike (CRWD). Thursday: Marvell Technology, Inc. (MRVL), Dollar General (DG), The Kroger Co. (KR), DocuSign (DOCU). Source: Zacks, November 26, 2021 |
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“You can’t judge right from looking at what’s wrong.” – Bo Diddley |
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Protect Your Financial Safety in Case of a Natural DisasterNo matter where you live, you should be aware of possible natural disasters in your area and plan accordingly by considering the following tax tips:
* This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional. Tip adapted from IRS.gov4 |
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The Scale Isn’t Everything: More-Comprehensive Ways to Measure Your HealthPut the scale away for a little while and try these techniques to focus on your overall health, rather than just a number:
These are just a few of the ways you can check in with yourself on your fitness and wellness journey without the scale. Tip adapted from Daily Burn5 |
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What nation has current and former capital cities whose names are anagrams of each other in the English language? (Hint: It is a major player in the global economy.) Last week’s riddle: The Cage family has a mother, father, and six sons, and each son has one sister. So, how many people are in this family? Answer: Nine. A mother, father, six brothers, and one sister, as each brother has but one sister. |
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Village of Oia on the Greek island of Santorini at sunset. |
Footnotes and Sources
2. The Wall Street Journal, November 26, 2021 3. The Wall Street Journal, November 26, 2021 4. IRS.gov, January 22, 2021 5. Daily Burn, June 24, 2021 |
Copyright 2021 FMG Suite. |

Weekly Market Insights: COVID-19 Variant Clobbers Markets
November 29, 2021