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The Covid-19 pandemic has made a significant impact on both the stock market and the<br/>global economy. The resulting volatility in stock prices has provided an opportunity to examine<br/>the Efficient Market Hypothesis. This study aims to gain insights into the efficiency of markets<br/>based on stock price performance in the Covid era. Specifically, it investigates the market’s<br/>ability to anticipate significant events during the Covid-19 timeline beginning November 1, 2019<br/><br/>and ending March 31, 2021. To examine the efficiency of markets, our team created a Stay-at-<br/>Home Portfolio, experiencing economic tailwinds from the Covid lockdowns, and a Pandemic<br/><br/>Loser Portfolio, experiencing economic headwinds from the Covid lockdowns. Cumulative<br/>returns of each portfolio are benchmarked to the cumulative returns of the S&P 500. The results<br/>showed that the Efficient Market Hypothesis is likely to be valid, although a definitive<br/>conclusion cannot be made based on the scope of the analysis. There are recommendations for<br/>further research surrounding key events that may be able to draw a more direct conclusion.
The goal of this thesis is to further educate the reader about the realities of the U.S stock market. Whether that be the risks or the benefits, it is important for every young adult and those that have invested in the past, to have extensive knowledge about how our stock market. It is true that the stock market affects the overall economy, however, it can be said that the economy has a significant effect on the stock market as well. Investing in the stock market is not something that Americans are forced to learn about, and many millennials have the, “Why should I care about that?” mindset when it comes to learning about the pros and cons of the Financial markets. This trend is very alarming because when done right, investing in the stock market can truly pay dividends. A cultural shift towards learning financial nuances should be incorporated in all education and more of the next generation should be educated and given this awareness. This article will not address the newer entrants such as crypto-currency, because that is more of a fad rather than a largescale market that would affect the overall economy.
The second goal with this thesis is to explain how the stock market affects the overall economy, as it is one of many significant factors. This goal may be slightly more difficult as there are so many variables in the US economy, such as changes in the global economy. One can also argue that the stock market is a supplement of the current economy. Addressing the financial markets and behavior, this conclusion will eventually address different variables and focus on the markets and how they affect the United States economy.
By working on this thesis, I was able to identify causes that lead to inequality due to how manufacturing and service systems might account for costs, as well as solutions and concepts that can help pave the way for a more egalitarian society. Furthermore, through this study I have also discovered actors, namely benefit corporations, that actively partake in various actions to benefit not only their customers, but society as a whole. The causes, measurements, documents, and principles I looked at were company financial statements whenever available, various socially responsible management literature, accounting principles, research literature on the inequality of cost externalization, etc. These resources established that a proper plan to tackling the unsustainable business and financial practices of many corporate and private entities today involves a consumer-oriented vision that follows the triple bottom line, a mission that closely follow a vision, core company values that emphasize the need to serve society, and a plan to closely and efficiently follow through with said vision. Problems such as over reliance on limited resources and externalizing environmental costs due to intrinsically uncompetitive business models could be potentially mitigated with proper restructuring of business models. The triple bottom line is an accounting framework that incorporates the integral segments of social, environmental, and financial dimensions of performance. Lastly, it is worthwhile to mention that companies which successfully worked under this mantra and plan tend to be sustainable over longer periods of time and be more innovative than competitors, which ultimately lead to higher levels of goodwill and loyalty from their customers.