The Russia-Ukraine war is a humanitarian disaster. While this latest insight focuses on the impact of the war on global economies and markets, in hopes for a resolution to this humanitarian crisis, be reminded of this quote by Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginnings of all war”.

The one thing that is certain when geopolitical events take hold is that uncertainty runs rife, and the one thing that investors and the markets don’t like is uncertainty.

The stock market is off to a rocky start this year. Higher volatility can be a source of uncertainty for even the most seasoned investors.

January 2022 was a challenging month and a reminder that market volatility is inevitable, even “normal.” Higher interest rates, ongoing supply constraints, and spiking Omicron infections led stock markets lower.

After a stellar and unusually calm year for stocks in 2021, so far 2022 might appear almost chaotic by comparison, with markets experiencing a sharp correction in January.

2021 delivered another stellar year in US stock markets. The S&P 500 index, a commonly used benchmark to measure the US stock market, generated 26.9% excluding dividends¹.

US equities continued its winning streak driven by ongoing economic recovery and strong corporate earnings.

Despite a slew of concerns including new COVID variants, inflation and supply chain disruptions, here are three surprisingly positive events that have shaped the markets in 2021.