Global stockmarkets closed for the last time in 2021, having enjoyed a bumper year. Buoyed by low interest rates and fiscal-stimulus packages, America’s S&P 500 index rose by 27% over the past 12 months, while the Nasdaq increased by 21%. The FTSE All World index gained 16%. Tech giants and energy firms have driven much of the year’s stock-price increases.
The Economist”