Finding the Right Ingredients for the Next Course

You might recall that Italy was one of the first countries to be hit hard by the pandemic, so we feel it’s only fitting to bring our celebration of the economic recovery to its shores—or at least to our favorite local Italian eatery. Turns out there are many fun parallels between investing and Italian cuisine.

And we always have an appetite for understanding where the economy is headed. Ever since the market bottomed in March 2020, the S&P 500 has more than doubled from its closing low and the economic recovery is now in full swing. Propelled by fiscal spending and the central banks’ dovish policies, economies around the world were boosted by a tailwind in 2021.

Looking to 2022, it’s likely that effects from the stimulus will continue to diminish and economies will continue to slow from high growth rates. We are hopeful that 2022 will see people begin to travel more as restrictions continue to be lifted, and that U.S. consumers will spend some of the money they saved during the pandemic—maybe to explore the charms of Venice, or just enjoy a takeout serving of the pasta primavera.

The Market Outlook is published by Cetera Investment Management LLC, an SEC registered adviser owned by Cetera Financial Group. Cetera Investment Management provides market perspectives, portfolio guidance, model management, and other investment advice to its affiliated broker-dealers, dually registered broker-dealers and registered investment advisers.