10 ECONOMIC LESSONS FROM 2020
Submitted by Total Clarity Wealth Management, Inc. on January 6th, 2021
January 4, 2021
10 ECONOMIC LESSONS FROM 2020
Ryan Detrick, CMT, Chief Market Strategist, LPL Financial
Nick Pergakis, Analyst, LPL Financial
2020 was a year characterized in part by the outbreak of a global pandemic, which captivated the world and shocked the global economy and financial markets. As we turn the page to 2021, it can be helpful to reflect on the lessons learned from such a historic year. We offer 10 economic lessons we’ll remember from 2020.
A YEAR TO REMEMBER
To say that 2020 was a unique year would be an understatement. What began as an ordinary year quickly turned into an extraordinary one—does anyone even remember it was a leap year? Initial reports in early January noted that a novel virus was beginning to spread, but few at the time could comprehend how the situation would escalate. By March, the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the entire world. So after such a tumultuous year, what have we learned?
10 TAKEAWAYS FROM 2020
The world is full of surprises. When we published our Outlook 2020 in December 2019, we did not forecast a recession in the United States. Heading into 2020, the economy was growing modestly—we didn’t see the usual extremes like excessive spending or over leverage that have been the hallmarks of the end of past economic cycles. The outbreak of COVID-19 forced the economy to slam on the brakes as much of the world went into lockdown to contain the spread, ending the longest economic expansion ever—one that had lasted more than 10 years.