Halfway through 2021, it’s clear that recovery from last year’s pandemic-induced recession is occurring at a faster pace than previous slowdowns. Thanks to broad vaccine distribution and considerable monetary and fiscal support from the federal government, the economy is opening up and the unemployment rate is dropping.
But even amidst the good news, questions remain. Will the rapid economic improvement ignite inflationary pressure? Will other economies follow the same trajectory as vaccine distribution goes global?
To provide perspectives on what we might expect in the coming months, Bank of Oklahoma's investment management team recently
sat down to discuss key issues around the economy and financial markets, and share their insights into ongoing investment considerations.
Aggressive vaccine rollout, federal stimulus and policy support have the U.S. economic recovery well underway.
The S&P 500 is trending higher while energy equities and international markets offer promise in the latter half of the year.
While the labor market sluggishly improves, improving consumer demand is driving commodities higher signaling the return of inflationary pressure.
After a self-imposed shutdown due to the pandemic, the economic recovery is underway spurred by the federal government’s monetary and fiscal policy support.
After a rapid expansion of the US economy, where will the economy go from here?
With the US economy recovering, the Federal Reserve and Biden Administration are pivoting to establish new policy directions.
Short-term rates are still at 0%, but longer-term rates have drifted higher; an improving economy could accelerate that.
Operation Warp Speed produced four effective vaccines in less than a year, and the US is enjoying success at getting shots in arms.
As COVID shut down the world, the market fell 34% from its February peak. Thanks to the fiscal and monetary stimulus, the S&P 500 is now 25% above its previous high.
After a market share war at the front end of the pandemic led to an oversupply and price drop, the outlook is stabilizing.
Although a few months behind the US, recovery is coming to Europe later this year and to emerging markets a few months behind that.
The pandemic inflicted considerable damage on the labor force which is still experiencing relatively higher unemployment and declines in participation.
Thanks to actions taken by the Fed and Congress, consumer demand is quickly rebounding bringing commodities higher.
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