Capital Markets Insights offers the best of our research into notable S&P 500 performers, DJIA performers, M&A deals, PE deals, IPOs, SPACs, Bankruptcies, Cost of Capital and private markets in 2021.

Executive Summary
 
  • Major U.S. indices increased in 2021 as economy began to recover from the impact of Covid-19 
  • The DJIA gained 18.7%, the S&P 500 added 26.9% and the NASDAQ increased 21.4% since December 31, 2020 
  • U.S. companies raised a record $302 billion through stock market listings 
  • Over 700 SPACs went public in 2021, more than 5 times the number from the year 2020 
  • Initial jobless claims came in at 198,000 for the week ended December 25, down from nearly 900,000 in early January 
  • The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes increased from 0.93% as of December 31, 2020 to 1.52% as of December 31, 2021 
  • The CBOE Volatility Index (“VIX”) closed at 17.22 on December 31, 2021, a 24% decrease since December 31, 2020 
  • The value of the U.S. Dollar strengthened as the market bet on tighter monetary policy