Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for December. It was a great month for the markets, with gains across the board. Unfortunately, we saw rising economic damage. Job growth dropped, and layoffs rose. Consumer confidence and spending also declined as the medical risks drove governmental shutdowns. Still, business confidence and spending were solid, and December's federal stimulus bill should help revive consumer demand. So, could we be back on the road to normal in 2021? Stay tuned to find out. Follow Brad at blog.commonwealth.com/independent-market-observer.