Market Commentary

The U.S. jobs report confirmed what was already known: millions of Americans are losing their jobs. The monthly payrolls report estimated a decline of 20.5 million jobs last month. The unemployment rate rose to 14.7%, which is estimated to be the highest since the Great Depression. A broad …

Economic news indicated the economic damage from COVID-19 continues to grow. U.S. gross domestic product shrank 4.8% in the face of the coronavirus and social distancing designed to combat its spread. Next quarter, expectations are for a nearly 30% decline. Initial unemployment claims fell …

Leaders around the world announced steps to open up their economies by gradually reducing social distancing as the global economy continued to struggle. In the U.S., more than four million people filed initial claims for unemployment.

Similarly to last week, investors had to weigh progress fighting COVID-19 and what that means for the future against the economic toll the virus and policies designed to slow it are having on the economy.

Investors were faced with a combination of optimistic and pessimistic news this week and opted to accentuate the positive. Health care data reinforced the gradual success social distancing is having in curtailing the spread of the virus.

The measures slowing the spread of the coronavirus are dealing severe challenges to the U.S. job market. Social distancing has proven difficult for day cares and dentists, restaurants and retail. As the accompanying chart shows, last week, 6.6 million workers filled for new unemployment benefits.