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Times Square in New York City on Tuesdays.
Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images
We are almost there – 2020 is almost in the books. The past year will likely turn out to be unforgettable, but mostly for the wrong reasons. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of life.
Small businesses forced to shut down and throttle the capacity to slow the spread of the virus have been hammered. The same is true for travel and leisure companies, as well as movie theaters and other live event companies.
For investors, the past 12 months included a record high for equities, followed by a bear market and then another record high. Much happened in between, including billions of dollars in government aid and historic Federal Reserve intervention. Meanwhile, ecommerce stocks, tech companies that facilitate home working and home entertainment stocks have boomed.
For now, investors are getting some much-needed time off on New Year’s Day.
Are the markets open on New Years Eve 2020? Will they be closed on New Years Day 2021?
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are open for New Year’s Eve, but will close on January 1. The same is true for American over-the-counter markets. The US bond markets close at 2 p.m. on December 31 and all day on New Year’s Day.
Are international markets closed on New Year’s Eve? How about New Years Day?
The Toronto Stock Exchange closes at 1:00 p.m. EST on New Year’s Eve and for that day on January 1. The London Stock Exchange closes at 12:30 GMT on New Year’s Eve.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange closes at noon local time on New Years Eve and is closed on January 1. The Shanghai Stock Exchange is open on December 31, but closes on January 1. The Tokyo Stock Exchange is closed on both days.
What can I expect in the coming year?
The past 12 months have shown that if more evidence was needed, there is a lot you cannot predict. Investors are looking ahead to the new year with some optimism, hoping that vaccines can end the pandemic.
Earlier this month, Barron’s published our annual survey of market strategists and chief investment officers at major banks and money management companies. The 10 experts have S&P 500 predictions by the end of 2021 that range from 3800 to 4400. The average implied profit is 9%, or 10% to 11% when the expected dividends are included.
Looking at stocks, Barron’s marked
Berkshire Hathaway
(BRK. B), the parent of Google
Alphabet
(GOOGL),
Apple
(AAPL),
Coke
(KO),
Merck
(MRK),
Goldman Sachs Group
(GS), and
Newmont
(NO).
From the end of Wednesday, the
S&P 500
index had increased by 15.5% to 3,732.04 in 2020. This is the hope that 2021 turns out to be happier and healthier.
Write to Connor Smith at [email protected]