The Fed Loves Main Street as Much as Wall Street This Time

The Fed has been lauded for doing more for the broader Main Street economy during this pandemic-induced crisis than back in ’08-’09 when seen as mostly as Wall Street’s savior. Source: Bloomberg Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues had a hard decision to make as the coronavirus epidemic worsened in February and March….

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Four ways that coronavirus has changed capital markets

COVID-19 crisis has taken a big step toward policy co-ordination along the lines of modern monetary theory. Source: Financial Times Some day this crisis will end. When, and at what human and economic costs, remain big unknowns. But when markets return to something like normality, investors are likely to find a fundamentally altered political and…

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Coronavirus Is The ‘Largest Insolvency Event’ In History

Former Wall Street money manager warns of the COVID-19 crisis as one of the biggest insolvency risks in history. Source: Forbes Bitcoin has largely failed to perform as a so-called safe-haven asset during the coronavirus crisis so far—though that could have begun to change. The bitcoin price fell sharply last month amid a broader market…

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COVID-19 silver lining: experts predict innovation

Despite the human costs of the COVID 19 pandemic, more innovative use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare is one example on how this can be applied to enhance the financial industry. Source: CTV News MONTREAL — Despite years of discussions between politicians and doctors, the Quebec government couldn’t find a way to…

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U.S. Corporate Debt Market under Pressure

This high level of corporate debt has made the U.S, particularly vulnerable to sharp downturns in global economic activity. Source: S&P Global Since mid-February, the market has turned sharply down in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The S&P 500® has fallen about 32% from its peak this year. Equity volatility shot up, as VIX® went…

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The coronavirus fightback will make lasting changes to economies

The spectre of a solvency crisis for the broader economy has jolted central banks and governments into action. Source: Financial Times In the fight to stop the coronavirus outbreak destabilising the global economy, central banks have gone “all in” with intervention after intervention to calm capital markets. Governments are following closely behind, announcing massive spending…

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Will the coronavirus trigger a corporate debt crisis?

The COVID-19 crisis could trigger a sudden and massive reassessment of corporate credit risk, extending beyond the oil and gas sector where stress has thus far been most visible. Source: LA Times As Ryman Hospitality Properties built a hospitality and entertainment empire around the original Nashville radio show, the parent company’s debt grew to more…

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