Production of COVID vaccines is rapidly growing and expanding with more vaccine candidates in the pipeline. Vaccinations are administered in increasingly higher numbers with countries like the United Kingdom and United States among those with the highest vaccination rates so far. As restrictions are gradually  being loosened, the economic recovery is all but certain to take shape throughout the remainder of 2021 and to get into full swing in 2022.

2021 ended on a positive note with all major markets except Hong Kong and China closing comfortably in green. Nonetheless there were plenty of lingering concerns. Inflation remained a negative factor for investor sentiment in December, reaching the highest level since June 1982 at 6,9%. This in part prompted the Fed to accelerate the reduction of its asset purchases from $15 billion per month to $30 billion per month. The Fed no longer described inflation as »transitory«, saying instead that supply chain issues have continued to contribute to high inflation. Consequently is it also expected that te FED may begin raising its interest rate sooner than previously anticipated in 2022.