U.S. stocks registered a third straight year of solid gains as the rollout of vaccinations and accommodative monetary policy accelerated the reopening of global businesses, unleashing pent-up consumption. The full-year estimate for S&P 500 corporate earnings growth is 45.1%, according to FactSet. That would mark 2021 with the strongest annual earnings growth rate since FactSet began tracking it in 2008. Essentially, the economic and corporate earnings revival that began in 2020 carried over more aggressively into 2021, lifting equity markets to numerous record highs.

For more insights, download our full recap.

The Quarterly Recap is published by Cetera Investment Management LLC, an SEC registered adviser owned by Cetera Financial Group. Cetera Investment Management provides market perspectives, portfolio guidance, model management, and other investment advice to its affiliated broker-dealers, dually registered broker-dealers and registered investment advisers.