03/21/2023
When the news of the SVB (Silicon Valley Bank) collapse hit a week or so ago, it seemed unprecedented. The shockwave that went through the banking system left many wondering what fallout may arise. Subsequently, consolidation is occurring in the banking industry (Credit Suisse was acquired for pennies on the dollar by UBS over the past weekend). Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve and international governments are taking various monetary actions, including providing additional liquidity, to shore up confidence for bank depositors.
Global stock and bond Markets are doing what markets do when significant shocks to the system occur. Current prices are fluctuating, sometimes rapidly, in the process of working through the news.
Times like this remind us that volatility is a normal course for markets. The chart below helps illustrate how global markets have endured banking crises and various disruptions throughout history. Over the long term, discipline and patience have been rewarded by ever-resilient markets: