By Tom Burnett CFA On January 8, 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the employment data for the prior month. After job growth accelerated from the April low, total employment decreased in December by 140,000. In the prior month, revised figures showed an increase of 336,000. The…
By Tom Burnett CFA On January 5, 2021, the World Bank issued its updated economic prospects forecast. The Bank issues its global GDP forecasts in June and January of each year. The latest report is a somewhat more optimistic set of forecasts compared to the conclusions reached in June 2020 report…
By Tom Burnett CFA Investors experienced extremely volatile market movements in 2020. Off to a good start, the stock market rallied into February until fears of a global Covid-19 outbreak brought advances to a halt. The March-April sell off was brutal and immediate as investors rightly feared that…
By Tom Burnett CFA On December 16, 2020, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee released its December Policy Statement. Following a two-day meeting, the Fed made a clear announcement that it intends to maintain its “accommodating” policies until the economy recovers from the Covid-19 outbreak…
By Tom Burnett CFA On December 10, 2020, the SEC issued a special Investor Bulletin on the growing use of SPAC investment vehicles. A SPAC is defined as a “special purpose acquisition company” and it can undertake a public offering of stock even though it has no operations. In 2020, the incidence…