Events Calendar

Are you worried about the volatility of the stock market?

Do you have concerns about ongoing inflation and its impact on your wallet?

Despite pandemic stress and global supply chain woes, the U.S. economy grew last year at its fastest pace since 1984, rebounding from a sharp but limited coronavirus-driven recession in March 2020. The nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of all goods and services produced, expanded by 5.7 percent in 2021, the Commerce Department reported last Thursday. Growth accelerated even faster during the period from October to December, rising to 6.9 percent on an annualized basis. All good news right? Not so much as signs of volatility continue to rock the market.

In 2021, stocks were at a record high even with rising inflation, supply chain problems, and pandemic driven pressures. Unfortunately, the stock market has had its worst start to the new year since 2016. Because of this shift in 2022, the bull market is now facing significant uncertainty. Does this mean we are headed into a bear market?

Wage growth remains elevated in the U.S. However, consumer spending fell in December as Americans stayed home with spiraling coronavirus numbers and retailers struggled to keep up with demand due to holiday shopping disruptions. What is the Federal Reserve doing to reduce the impact of inflation on consumers? How many times will the Federal Reserve raise interest rates in 2022?

World food prices jumped 28 percent in 2021 to their highest level in a decade, and hopes for a return to more stable market conditions this year are slim, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). What does this mean for the working poor and the middle class who are already stretched thin?

Join the World Affairs Council of Charlotte on Thursday, February 10, 2022 with Dr. Jay Bryson, Managing Director and Chief Economist for Wells Fargo’s Corporate and Investment Bank. Bryson will share his expert insight into the global economic outlook for 2022, referencing domestic and major economies worldwide while addressing major challenges stemming from the pandemic and its impact to your bottom line.