2020 has been unlike any other thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, our strange stock market, and social unrest leading up to the Nov. 3rd Presidential Election. This recap is for you to see what we have already been through as we look toward a brighter future as we assess what we have learned from this year.
January 2020
6th The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues travel warning for Americans visiting China.
20th The first case of COVID-19 in the U.S.
22nd The entire city of Wuhan, China, is quarantined.
30th The World Health Organization (WHO) declares COVID-19 a worldwide Public Health Emergency
February
24th The Dow Jones drops 1,000 points.
27th The First school closure occurs in Washington state for two days due to COVID-19
29th The First recorded COVID-19 death in the U.S. (earlier deaths were later reported)
March
9th The Dow Jones plunges 2,000 points. Italy enters nationwide quarantine.
11th The WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.
12th The Dow Jones plunges more than 2,300 points. Major league sports announce cancellations and suspensions of training and games.
13th President Donald Trump declares COVID-19 a national emergency in the U.S.
16th 27 U.S. states close schools. The Dow Jones Industrial Average falls by 2,997.10, the largest single-day point drop ever.
20th The worldwide COVID-19 death toll passes 10,000. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issues stay-at-home order as New York cases surpass 7,000.
21st The deadline for filing 2019 taxes extends to July 15, 2020.
27th The U.S. House and Senate pass the CARES Act to provide economic assistance to Americans.
April
2nd Worldwide COVID-19 cases pass 1 million. More than 6.6 million U.S. workers file for unemployment
9th Worldwide COVID-19 deaths reach 100,000
10th The U.S. becomes the first country to report 2,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day.
13th The IRS begins sending stimulus checks to Americans.
14th President Donald Trump halts funding for WHO.
May
6th Most schools in the U.S. close for the academic year and distance learning begins.
8th U.S. unemployment hits 14.7%.
27th The U.S. passes 100,000 COVID-19 deaths.
31st George Floyd dies while in police custody in Minneapolis, MN, sparking worldwide protests and civil unrest.
June
10th The U.S. becomes the first country to reach 2 million COVID-19 cases.
28th COVID-19 cases pass 10 million worldwide.
29th The Dow Jones Industrial Average rises 580.25 points or 2.3%.
July
3rd Major League Baseball cancels the 2020 All-Star game.
15th 2019 taxes are due for filing.
23rd California surpasses New York in the most COVID-19 cases.
31st The S&P 500 gains 5.5%, now up 1.25% on the year.
August
8th The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. reaches 5 million.
15th As schools begin the 2020/2021 school year, the number of COViD-19 cases among children in the U.S. increases by 90%.
31st The Dow Jones gained 7.57%, its best August performance since 1984 when it gained 9.78%
September
2nd Total COVID-19 cases in the U.S. reach 6 million.
10th Worldwide COVID-19 deaths top 900,000.
21st The U.S. COVID-19 Death toll passes 200,000.
30th The Down Jones ends September with a decline of 2.3%, the S&P 500 drops by 3.9%, and the NASDAQ declines 5.2%
October
2nd U.S. President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and several White House staff members test positive for COVID-19.
17th The CDC reports over 217,000 deaths from COVID-19. and total cases reach 8 million in the U.S.
18th House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sets Oct. 20 deadline for reaching an economic stimulus deal that would provide each American a $1,200 stimulus check.
November
3rd U.S. Election Day
This year has shown that there is no way of knowing what is coming next. However, a trusted financial advisor can help to better prepare you. If you have been affected by the events of this year or want to learn more, contact our office today. We are happy to help.
Sources:
https://www.bloomberg.com/markets
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/us/schools-reopening-pandemic-lessons/index.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/10/18/pelosi-stimulus-economy-trump/