Scott Savastano – Capital Markets – The global supply chain was rocked in January when China disclosed the Coronavirus Pandemic to the world. In February, we saw the first effects of the virus disrupting the supply chain of products being sourced from China; everything from medical supplies to iPhones. The markets also witnessed a complete void of certain products like hand sanitizer and surgical masks. As the virus spread outside of China to Europe and even the United States, the global markets dropped by an average of 12%. This global impact was closely scrutinized by the Federal Reserve. So much so, that they reduced rates by ½ point with the potential of further easing in the near future. This action by the Federal Reserve with have a calming effect on the Capital Markets for the first half of the year. The second half should rebound and remain strong largely because the U.S. economic fundamentals are healthy. Lending will remain healthy regardless of the bank mergers and consolidations of 2019.
Scott G. Savastano – Capital Markets 2020 Predictions
