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January 1, 2021

by | Jan 1, 2021 | Quarterly Letters

Dear Client: Returns for the major stock indices for 2020 and the current bond and money market yields are as follows: Index         2020Dow Jones Industrial Average     9.72%S&P 500   18.40% Fixed Income Yields1 year5 year10 year30 yearMunicipals0.13%0.22%0.69%1.47%US Treasuries0.10%0.36%0.91%1.64% Fidelity Government Cash Reserves Money Market Fund0.01% Happy New Year!  Believe it or not, markets are back to all-time highs.  Despite all the problems of 2020, we have again weathered the storm as investors.  As we know too well, the panic from the virus created havoc for countless lives, businesses, and livelihoods.  We have all dealt with the effects of the virus within our own families; the stress and effects are real and challenging.  As for the markets in 2020, the fear and panic created one of the greatest market opportunities of all time.  The major market index (S&P 500) has rallied 70% since the March 23rd low.  During this recovery, the markets also gave us an 8% decline in June, an 11% decline in September, and a 9% decline before the election in October.  Through it all, long term investors again logged a positive year in the markets.  Once again, the day-to-day grind of market volatility, along with all the stresses related to the virus, made perseverance as difficult as ever. We believe the momentum in the current bull market has legs into 2021 for many reasons.  First and foremost, the virus is being conquered through vaccines.  We believe the rollout will transpire better than expected, and every American will have access to the vaccine in 2021.  The heroes in American private industry met the call, as drug companies like Moderna...