April 23, 2020 

Dear Valued Investor, 

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.”

— Lou Holtz, Hall of Fame football coach 

As the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, how we respond to it will determine how we beat it. Continued sacrifices range from everyone in the medical community working on the front lines to the thousands of truck drivers across our country keeping goods flowing, parents who have become homeschoolers, and folks missing their family events to help stop the spread of this terrible outbreak. As Lou Holtz said, we can’t control what happens, but how we respond to it is what matters. Our response to this crisis has shown the resolve and strength of the human spirit, which is why we will overcome. 

The response from the economy and stock market, however, has shown a disconnect between the two. Tragically, 22 million people have filed for unemployment in the past four weeks, nearly wiping out all the jobs created during the record 10-year economic expansion. Historic drops in consumer confidence, retail sales, industrial production, oil prices, and housing starts have shown how quickly our economy has gone from solid growth to virtually stopping in its tracks. Yet, stocks have been soaring the past few weeks. Remember, stocks tend to weaken before the economy, and they tend to lead before the economy turns around. Stocks see light at the end of the tunnel before the economy feels it, and the big move recently may be a sign the economy could turn around later this year. 

Small businesses have been impacted the most by the economic crisis, and the government and Federal Reserve actions to bridge the gap to better times are unprecedented. The combined stimulus from fiscal and monetary policy is more than 20% of the value of the entire US economy, as measured by gross domestic product, greatly mitigating the economic hardships. The hurried roll out of the small business loan program wasn’t perfect, but it is helping those businesses. 

This recession—though not officially declared yet—is unlike any we’ve ever seen. It wasn’t caused by the virus itself, but by the government telling people to stay home in an effort to flatten the curve. We don’t think the government can simply turn on a switch to get things back to normal, but with all of the stimulus making its way through the system, we think this could be one of the shortest recessions ever. 

First quarter earnings season has begun, and we are interested to learn how quickly corporate America anticipates the slowdown ending. Estimates for earnings in 2020 have reduced drastically, but there is still hope that a strong second-half economic rebound could help support a recovery in corporate profits. 

More than 2 million people worldwide have been infected by the virus, and we all have been impacted in some way. There are drug companies all around the world working nonstop to find an effective treatment, while Boeing, one of the hardest hit companies during this crisis, said it might start building planes again soon. We aren’t out of the woods yet, and the economic data and headlines may get worse before they get better, but our response to this crisis reinforces our confidence that the future remains bright. 

Stay healthy, and please contact me with any questions. 

Sincerely, 

Wayne Rigney

 

__________________________________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. There is no assurance that the views or strategies discussed are suitable for all investors or will yield positive outcomes. Investing involves risks including possible loss of principal. Any economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and are subject to change. 

References to markets, asset classes, and sectors are generally regarding the corresponding market index. Indexes are unmanaged statistical composites and cannot be invested into directly. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment and do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. 

Any company names noted herein are for educational purposes only and not an indication of trading intent or a solicitation of their products or services. LPL Financial doesn’t provide research on individual equities. 

All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. 

Tracking # 1-05002504 (Exp. 04/21) 

April 8, 2020

Dear Valued Investor:

These are challenging times, and this week may be the toughest as we wait for COVID-19 to reach its peak in the United States. As the war against COVID-19 wages on, we continue to be inspired by the tremendous bravery shown by healthcare workers on the front lines. Other heroes will likely emerge from a lab somewhere with a vaccine in the near future. In the meantime, we have important roles to play by maintaining quarantines and social distancing.

We anxiously wait for the day when this threat has passed, as life feels very different. Many of the things we enjoy most are not available right now, such as traveling, sporting events, shows, concerts, or just dinner out with family and friends. We’re video conferencing with our co-workers while children are going to school online, and we’re finding new ways to stay connected and entertain ourselves without leaving our homes. As a society, we’re finding forced isolation can be challenging.

As we adapt to these changes in our daily lives, the stock markets have had to adapt to the new economic realities as well. The longest economic expansion in our nation’s history has ended as the US economy has entered a recession. This economic contraction is quite unique—it’s the first one brought on mainly by governments, as they closed non-essential businesses and initiated social distancing restrictions to limit the spread of the virus. It also may prove to be unique by potentially being one of the shortest recessions in history, depending on how quickly the virus can be contained.

What is not unique is the challenge for investors in navigating the bear market that’s accompanying this recession. Historically, the best time for many investors to buy stocks has been at the trough, or low point, of a recession, although the trough usually has been evident only in hindsight. Since 1970, bear market low points have occurred within an average of three weeks of the biggest increase in weekly jobless claims, something that we hope came last week. In previous recessions since WWII, stocks bottomed an average of about five months before the end of the recession, as stocks sensed improved upcoming economic data (source: FactSet). No one knows for sure when stocks will bottom this time, but looking at these data points suggests we may be getting close.

We’ve received some better news in the battle against COVID-19 over the past few days. China has contained its outbreak, and its economy is restarting. In Wuhan, the epicenter of the China outbreak, the lockdown is being lifted. In Italy, the epicenter of the European outbreak, a peak in new cases likely was reached last week, and the government is starting to plan for a restart of its economy. The epicenter of the US outbreak, New York, is starting to see a slowdown in new cases. This fight isn’t over, and we cannot fully discount another wave of new cases, but the other side of this crisis is coming into view. The stock market also has started to sense that we’re nearing an inflection point.

This is one of the greatest challenges we as Americans have faced, but some light is starting to glimmer in the dark tunnel. We don’t really have a playbook for this human crisis, though we are encouraged that the measures being taken are having the desired effects. The playbook for investing in bear markets and recessions is clearer. It suggests that we stay the course, consider selectively taking advantage of emerging opportunities where appropriate, and focus on long-term investing objectives.

Please stay healthy, and don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Wayne Rigney

 

Important Information

This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. There is no assurance that the views or strategies discussed are suitable for all investors or will yield positive outcomes. Investing involves risks including possible loss of principal. Any economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and are subject to change.

References to markets, asset classes, and sectors are generally regarding the corresponding market index. Indexes are unmanaged statistical composites and cannot be invested into directly. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment and do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results.

All data is provided as of April 8, 2020.

This Research material was prepared by LPL Financial, LLC. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Tracking # 1-979721 (Exp. 04/21)