1) There are growing fears of another economic bomb about to go off. A popping of the housing bubble, much like the 2008 bubble collapse of the housing market, may happen as early as July. Last time, the collapse of the housing market played out over four years, but for the pandemic, the rate could be much faster, as is being seen with the stock market. Home sales have been languishing, especially with the treat of the virus and people reluctant to let strangers tour their homes with possible infections. It is estimated that 15% of homeowners will fall behind on their mortgages and this would mean more delinquencies than during the Great Depression. This in turn is causing a tightening of lending standards which could continue even after the crisis subsides. All this makes for a bubble waiting to burst.
2) Delta Air Lines Inc. has announced they plan to retire their fleet of eighteen Boeing 777 jumbo jets, and will replace them with Airbus SE aircraft. This constitutes another major financial blow to the beleaguered aircraft manufacture struggling with their 737 MAX troubles from over a year ago. Delta attributes the early retirement of their 777 fleet to the pandemic impact and the need to economize with newer fuel efficient aircraft.
3) Growing fears of a slow recovery is beginning to show cracks in the markets as investor’s anticipation of a quick recovery of the economy fades. For weeks, the hopes that the massive stimulus of $3 trillion dollars would spur a relatively quick recovery later in the year, coupled with a hot rebound of the stock market despite the massive numbers of layoffs, but now hope is fading. The growing economic uncertainty of just how many people can restart their lives amid the uncertainty of controlling the virus, plus the dangers of opening up too early, is causing investors to rethink their view of how the economy will fair in the next few months, even the next few years.
4) Stock market closings for – 14 MAY 20:
Dow 23,625.34 up 377.37
Nasdaq 8,943.72 up 80.55
S&P 500 2,852.50 up 32.50
10 Year Yield: down at 0.62%
Oil: up at $27.98