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The Markets 2021 was a fizzing mints-in-soda kind of year. Everything seemed to shoot higher – from COVID-19 cases and vaccinations to economic growth and global stock markets. Everything except for optimism. As the year came to an end, a CBS News poll found that 40 percent of Americans felt 2021 was mostly filled with sadness, although almost three out of four people polled said they were hopeful for 2022. As we head into the new year, let’s a look back at 2021.
THE LATEST FASHION: RESALE AND REUSE...If there was a spectrum that reflected the value and longevity of everything we owned, consumables (coffee and cell phones) might be at one end, durables (automobiles and appliances) in the middle, and items with enduring value (homes and collectibles) on the other end, according to The Economist.
Clothing might belong on different parts of the spectrum. Everyday socks might be on one end while Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit ranged toward the other end. Currently, people spend less on clothes, overall, but buy more than they once did. Often, items are worn a few times and then discarded. As a result, the fashion industry has a sustainability problem. The Economist reported: “…industry studies reckon that clothing manufacture and distribution account for between 2% and 8% of global carbon emissions. The fashion industry probably emits more carbon than aviation (3% of emissions) or shipping (2%).” With consumers prioritizing sustainability, fashion has begun to change. More people are cleaning out their closets and selling clothing online, according to the 2021 Resale Report. As a result, the resale clothing marketplace is expected to double, reaching $77 billion, during the next five years. That may be the tip of the iceberg. Thirty-six billion pieces of clothing are thrown out by Americans each year, and estimates suggest that 95 percent could be recycled or reused. Weekly Focus – Think About It “Hope Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, Whispering ‘it will be happier’...” —Alfred Lord Tennyson, poet Investment Advisory services offered through Guidance Investment Advisors, LLC, doing business as Guidance Wealth, LLC, a registered investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SEC Registration does not imply any level of skill or training. * These views are those of Carson Coaching, and not the presenting Investment Adviser Representative or the Representative’s Registered Investment Adviser, and should not be construed as investment advice. * This newsletter was prepared by Carson Coaching. Carson Coaching is not affiliated with the named registered investment adviser. * Weekly Market Commentaries are sent as mass email communications by the designated email address weekly_update@guidancewealth.com. * Government bonds and Treasury Bills are guaranteed by the U.S. government as to the timely payment of principal and interest and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal value. However, the value of fund shares is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. * Corporate bonds are considered higher risk than government bonds but normally offer a higher yield and are subject to market, interest rate and credit risk as well as additional risks based on the quality of issuer coupon rate, price, yield, maturity, and redemption features. * The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. You cannot invest directly in this index. * All indexes referenced are unmanaged. The volatility of indexes could be materially different from that of a client’s portfolio. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment. You cannot invest directly in an index. * The Dow Jones Global ex-U.S. Index covers approximately 95% of the market capitalization of the 45 developed and emerging countries included in the Index. * The 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S. Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market. * Gold represents the 3:00 p.m. (London time) gold price as reported by the London Bullion Market Association and is expressed in U.S. Dollars per fine troy ounce. The source for gold data is Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GOLDPMGBD228NLBM. * The Bloomberg Commodity Index is designed to be a highly liquid and diversified benchmark for the commodity futures market. The Index is composed of futures contracts on 19 physical commodities and was launched on July 14, 1998. * The DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index measures the total return performance of the equity subcategory of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) industry as calculated by Dow Jones. * The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), commonly known as “The Dow,” is an index representing 30 stock of companies maintained and reviewed by the editors of The Wall Street Journal. * The NASDAQ Composite is an unmanaged index of securities traded on the NASDAQ system. * International investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuation and political instability and may not be suitable for all investors. These risks are often heightened for investments in emerging markets. * Yahoo! Finance is the source for any reference to the performance of an index between two specific periods. * The risk of loss in trading commodities and futures can be substantial. You should therefore carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. The high degree of leverage is often obtainable in commodity trading and can work against you as well as for you. The use of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains. * Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance. * Economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful. * Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. * The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee it is accurate or complete. * There is no guarantee a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk. * Asset allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss. * Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision. Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/americans-opinion-poll-on-2021-2022/ https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations https://www.conference-board.org/research/us-forecast https://www.barrons.com/articles/stock-market-2021-51640910494?refsec=up-and-down-wall-street (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_Barrons_The%20Stock%20Market%20Had%20a%20Wonderful%20year.%20Too%20Bad%20No%20One%20Enjoyed%20It_4.pdf) https://www.barrons.com/articles/us-economy-stock-market-history-51640204442 (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_Barrons_Lesson%20of%20the%20Century%20Dont%20Underestimate%20the%20Resilience%20of%20the%20U.S.%20Economy_5.pdf) https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2021/12/18/after-a-shocker-in-2021-where-might-inflation-go-in-2022 (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_The%20Economist_After%20a%20Shocker%20in%202021%20Where%20Might%20Inflation%20Go%20in%202022_6.pdf) https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20211215a.htm https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/pages/gs-research/inflation-here-today-gone-tomorrow/inflation-here-today-gone-tomorrow.pdf http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_Survey%20of%20Consumers%20Final%20Results%20for%20December%202021_9.pdf) https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcprojtabl20211215.pdf https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/wall-street-ends-tumultuous-year-near-record-highs-2021-12-31/ https://www.factset.com/hubfs/Website/Resources%20Section/Research%20Desk/Earnings%20Insight/EarningsInsight_121721A.pdf (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_The%20Economist_Xi%20Jinpings%20Crackdown%20on%20Chinese%20Tech%20Firms%20Will%20Continue_13.pdf) https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2021/11/08/xi-jinpings-crackdown-on-chinese-tech-firms-will-continue https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-26/global-bond-winners-for-2021-all-came-from-emerging-markets (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_Bloomberg_Global%20Bond%20Winners%20for%202021%20All%20Came%20from%20Emerging%20Markets_14.pdf) https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2021/12/18/fashion-as-an-asset-class (or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2022/01-03-22_The%20Economist_Fashion%20as%20an%20Asset%20Class_15.pdf) https://www.thredup.com/resale/#size-and-impact https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/new-year Comments are closed.
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