With the first three quarters of 2020 now complete, we’re looking back and ahead on the economy and financial markets in our latest webinar.

Aside from local, state and national elections coming up in November, there’s also a presidential election. These kinds of elections seem to always have an impact on the markets, regardless of who wins. Tune in to hear our thoughts on what the impact on financial markets may be in this election cycle.

Despite notable improvement since late March, municipal bonds may come under pressure again as concerns linger over the economic impact on state and local budgets.

Now that we’re through the first half of 2020, we can start looking at what might be in store for financial markets for the rest of the year, including how a virus resurgence and upcoming elections can impact the markets. Tune in to hear our latest thoughts.

By now, most states have either ended or relaxed their stay-at-home orders, allowing businesses to begin operating again. With nearly a month of economic and financial data available since businesses have started reopening, trends are beginning to emerge.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all areas of our lives from travel to dining to sports gatherings. Almost no aspect of our daily lives has proven immune to the new normal created by the coronavirus.

In this webinar, we’re covering what’s driving the rising stock market despite the unprecedented economic impact of the coronavirus, plus, what we can expect as economies all over the globe start to reopen.

The May 7, 2020 webinar covers how to assess the reopening of the economy and eventual recovery and what’s next for stocks after a strong month of April.

The U.S. economy started the year on a positive note before social distancing restrictions in response to COVID-19 led to the start of a sharp deceleration.

The April 22, 2020 webinar covers the bounce back in stock prices and our perspective on the financial markets.

The April 8, 2020 webinar covers our latest thoughts on financial markets and what you need to know about the CARES Act.

The March 25, 2020 Market Update Webinar addresses the market volatility and the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and financial markets.

The March 18, 2020 Market Update Webinar covers the financial impact of the coronavirus and the economy’s future.

The March 2020 Market Update Webinar covers the Coronavirus, Oil Shock and Financial Markets.

The U.S. economy wrapped up 2019 with a batch of generally promising data as U.S.-China trade tensions died down.

November data reflected moderating growth as the U.S. economy continued to battle trade worries.

October economic data pointed to a slowing—but still growing—U.S. economy.

Economic data improved modestly in September as the U.S. economy stayed resilient against trade uncertainty.

U.S. economic data was mixed in August, reflecting the complicated macroeconomic environment in the midst of high trade uncertainty.

Leading indicators fell month over month for the first time in 2019. Still, the Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) rose 1.6% year over year in June. Even though leading indicators have slowed recently, the LEI continues to expand year over year, signaling future economic growth.

Leading indicators slowed, but remained largely resilient against trade headwinds. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) rose 2.5% year over year in May, its slowest pace of year-over-year growth since January 2017. Still, the LEI is squarely in positive territory, signaling future growth.

U.S. economic data improved in May on balance, even as investors battled a resurgence in U.S.-China trade tensions.

Green shoots appeared in U.S. economic data as the economy entered the second quarter. Leading indicators signaled low odds of a recession in the coming year. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) rose 3.1% year over year in March, breaking a five-month slide in annual growth.

U.S. economic data were mixed in March, although leading indicators signaled low odds of a recession in the coming year [Figure 1]. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index, an aggregate of ten leading indicators, rose 0.2% in February for its first gain in five months and 3% year over year.

U.S. economic data were sound in February, even as confidence fell amid uncertainty from global trade and political headwinds. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI), an aggregate of ten leading indicators, declined 0.1% in January, but grew 3.5% year over year. While the LEI declined month over month, positive year-over-year momentum signaled low odds of recession in the coming year...

January’s reports painted a picture of a solid economy struggling with global uncertainty. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI), an aggregate of ten leading indicators, declined 0.1% in December, but grew 4.3% year over year for 2018. While the LEI declined for the month, positive year-over-year momentum signaled low odds of recession in the coming year...

Economic trends generally improved in December, even amid some of the most significant financial market volatility of the bull market. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI), an aggregate of ten leading indicators, increased 0.2% in November and 5.2% year over year. While LEI growth slowed for a second month, positive momentum signaled low odds of recession in the coming year....

Economic trends generally improved in November, even after strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth over the last two quarters. The average hourly earnings grew 3.1% year over year last month, the first time that measure of wage growth has eclipsed 3% since April 2009. Consumer Confidence in November fell month over month but it essentially remained at an 18-year high, signaling that strong consumer activity may continue to boost output...

Overall, October’s economic reports reflected solid U.S. economic growth and manageable inflationary pressures. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 3.5% annualized in the third quarter, boosting average growth over the last two quarters to 3.9%, the strongest pace since 2014. Consumer Confidence reached an 18-year high, signaling that strong consumer activity may continue to boost output. The unemployment rate’s drop to a 48-year low...

Economic reports released in September indicated solid US economic growth without significant inflationary pressures, though wage gains bear monitoring; with the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.9%, the percentage of workers quitting their jobs jumped to a 17-year high, a positive sign for the economy. US average hourly earnings continue to rise as wages grew 2.9% year over year in August, the highest growth rate of this economic cycle...