Last week saw a number of important economic updates, with a focus on October’s business confidence and employment reports. The job report was a highlight, as more jobs were added during the month than expected and unemployment fell notably. This week will be relatively quiet, with updates focusing on inflation, the weekly jobless claims report, and the first look at consumer sentiment for November.

The most important economic report—the jobs report—came out this morning, and it was surprisingly strong. This strength was not so much in the headline number, but in the details. Let’s start out with the headlines and drill down to what this report means for the economy going forward, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic.

The big news this week was the election. Although the outcome remains unresolved, the fact that the election itself went without a hitch has substantially reduced the perceived political risks. While we still have weeks or possibly months of litigation ahead, the worst risks are now off the table. Markets have been cheering this shift over the past two days.

“It will take as long as it takes,” a reported quote from the Pennsylvania attorney general about the vote count, can also apply to the election itself. Indeed, from where we stand right now, the Pennsylvania vote count will determine the election. We don’t know what the final answer is, and we don’t know when we will know. So, are we any further along than yesterday?

Brad here. As my colleague Anu Gaggar reflects below, we’ve seen many pandemic-inspired obituaries for globalization during this year’s crisis. She asks: Will COVID be the last nail in the globalization coffin? Or will global trade continue to evolve? Over to you, Anu!

Last week was filled with economic updates, with reports that touched on various important sectors of the economy. The data was largely positive, with better-than-expected results for durable goods orders, the third-quarter GDP report, and September’s personal income and spending reports serving as highlights. This week will be another busy one for updates, with a focus on business confidence and the October jobs report.

October was a tough month for the markets. They started out strong but rolled over on rising medical risks. Fortunately, the impact was cushioned by better economic news.

Today, I'd like to provide an update on the coronavirus, including the economic and market implications. On the medical front, the third wave of the pandemic has accelerated around the country. With new cases at all-time highs and the geographic spread continuing to widen, this is something we need to watch.

Once again, the medical news worsened since the last update, as the third wave of infections has continued to accelerate around the country. Case growth is now at new highs, above the prior peaks in July, while the geographic spread of this wave of outbreaks continues to widen. Case growth in many states is now at levels that threaten the health care systems there, indicating this is a growing problem.

Today, we have another down day in the markets, as the pandemic continues to worsen. So, is it time to worry about the markets again? Let’s take a closer look.