Your Money

Global financial markets have been whipsawed in recent weeks by coronavirus worries.  Last week U.S. stock benchmarks fell into “bear market” territory, meaning price declines of more than 20% from recent highs. Many types of bonds and the commodity gold (both considered traditional safe haves) faced unusually severe price swings, too.

With the shut down of schools, businesses, travel and leisure, it's now clear the coronavirus outbreak is set to deliver a sharp and deep economic shock.  Market moves are reminiscent of the 2008 crisis, but this isn't likely a repeat.

Stringent containment and social distancing policies will bring economic activity to a near standstill, but aggressive fiscal and monetary policy actions have been taken to bridge businesses and households through the shock.  With containment and recovery, activity should return rapidly with little permanent economic damage.

Reasons to Be Positive About the US Coronavirus Fight
by Brian Wesbury and Robert Stein

• testing capacity is about to rise substantially
• a wave of recoveries is on the horizon
• the private US healthcare industry is the best in the world

Your Life

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still on the forefront of the news, affecting ALL aspects of our lives including financial.  While I am not encouraging hysteria, I am so tired of people downplaying the risks as they compare it to the flu.  As a matter of fact, an ER nurse recently told me that “the flu is much, much worse and we’ve been handing that for years.”  Comments like this always confused me as to why the government (Federal, State, and local), the media, and other high-ranking medical experts kept expressing their high concerns and worries.  Was it all a media stunt?  An over-reaction?  A method to raise hysteria and make money through ratings? 

There’s a difference between creating/fostering hysteria and understanding facts—the latter allows you to make informed decisions on how to keep you and your family safe and how to decrease your risk for exposure. 
 
Do you still hear people say coronovirus is just like the flu? They're wrong -- here's why
by Quenton Fottrell

• Coronavirus has a higher fatality rate (up to 3.4% vs. 0.1%) than the flu.
• There is no vaccination for the coronavirus. We have vaccinations for the flu.
• The flu has been around for 2,000 years. The coronavirus is 3 months old.  So, we know almost nothing about the coronavirus. 
• The confusion likely arises from the fact that both are viral, have similar symptoms and spreads the same way.
• Incubation period for the coronavirus is double that of the flu and spread easier. 

As always, stay safe and healthy.

Complexity Simplified

In this current environment, don’t be hesitant to protect yourself and others by familiarizing yourself with all the delivery options you have from favorite local restaurants, local grocery stores, and to supplies from Amazon.
Get immersed in streaming services from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu movies and premium channels.
You can even download books from Kindle, Nook, and Audible (it reads the books to you).
Learn a new language from free phone apps like Duolingo or Babbel.
Try a new recipe.  My teenage son is teaching himself how to bake bread through YouTube videos...and it came out better than mine!
There really are lots of things to do at home.

Trivia