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Times Square in New York City Tuesday.
Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images
We are almost there – 2020 is almost in the books. The past year will probably be memorable, though mostly for the wrong reasons. The Covid-19 pandemic has touched every aspect of life.
Small businesses, which are forced to shut down and limit the ability to slow down the spread of the virus, have been hammered out. The same goes for travel and leisure businesses, as well as movie theaters and other live-streaming businesses.
For investors, the past twelve months have included a record for equities, followed by a bear market, and then another record high. In between, much has gone on, including trillions of dollars in government aid and historic intervention by the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, e-commerce supplies, technology companies that facilitate homework and home entertainment supplies have flourished.
For now, investors will have much-needed time for New Year’s Day.
Are the markets open on New Year’s Eve 2020? Was it closed on New Year’s Day 2021?
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are open for New Year’s Eve, but will close on January 1st. The same goes for US over-the-counter markets. US bond markets close on December 31st at 2pm and on New Year’s Day all day.
Will international markets be closed on New Year’s Eve? What about New Year’s Day?
The Toronto Stock Exchange closes on New Year’s Eve at 1:00 PM EST and for the day on January 1st. The London Stock Exchange closes on New Year’s Eve at 12:30 GMT.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange closes on New Year’s Eve at 12 noon local time and closes on 1 January. The Shanghai Stock Exchange is open on December 31, but closes on January 1. The Tokyo Stock Exchange closed on both days.
What should I expect in the coming year?
The last twelve months have proven that, if more evidence was needed, there is a lot you cannot predict. Investors are looking to the new year with some optimism, based on the hope that vaccines could end the pandemic.
Earlier this month, Barron’s published our annual survey among market strategists and chief investment officers at major banks and money management firms. The ten experts have S&P 500 forecasts at the end of 2021 ranging from 3800 to 4400. The average implied profit is 9%, or 10% to 11% if expected dividends are included.
Look at stocks, Barron’s highlighted
Berkshire Hathaway
(BRK. B), Google’s parent
Alphabet
(GOOGL),
appeal
(AAPL),
Coca-Cola
(KO),
Merck
(MRK),
Goldman Sachs Group
(GS), and
Newmont
(NEM).
With the closing of Wednesday, the
S&P 500
The index rose by 15.5% in 2020 to 3732.04. The hope is that 2021 will be happier and healthier.
Write to Connor Smith by [email protected]