The US stock market (S&P 500) declined 20% during the first quarter, marking its worst-ever start to the year. In our review, the quarter was marked by three distinct phases: Contentment, Dislocation, and Repair.

Financial market repair is not necessarily a smooth ride. Stock markets tend to move like a pendulum, swinging from side to side, spending a rare amount of time in the uneventful middle

As we enter April, it is hard to believe that the COVID-19 emerged a relatively short time ago. It is not an understatement that the impact, a health crisis that is driving the world economy into a recession, is without precedent in our life experiences.

This week we saw a more concerted effort to address Covid-19 through the worldwide mobilization of medical and financial resources. We watched an unprecedented relief-package make its way through the Congress and Senate. America and much of the world stayed home and practiced social distancing.

There is much that is still unknown; unlike during the Spanish flu epidemic, we are now a very connected world with a significant focus on the mitigation of the worst potential outcomes (minimizing fatalities). 

After checking out the kitchen, you make your way to the basement to check out the mechanical systems. The lights are off and its pitch dark. “Where is the switch,” you ask yourself.

Whether you’re a Costco shopper or a stock market participant, emotions can dominate decision making. This can cause people to make decisions that they wouldn’t normally make, like sell stocks in a panic or double- (quadruple-) down on household goods.