It was a tough year to make money in the stock market. The S&P 500 peaked on the first trading day of 2022 and never came close to revisiting its high point.
The widely used market gauge had its worst year since the 2008 financial crisis. One thing explained stocks’ struggles: After years of easy money, the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in March to combat inflation and never stopped. Keep scrolling to see how the year unfolded.
Looking ahead, Wall Street analysts say stocks won’t gain ground until the Fed stops raising rates. With policymakers promising at least two more rate increases in 2023, the next bull market is unlikely to start any time soon. While inflation is also bad for bonds, higher interest rates are making some safer investments, such as money market mutual funds and short-term Treasury securities, a better bet.
Editing by Jennifer Liberto, Kate Rabinowitz and Karly Domb Sadof.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZK%2B2v8innKyrX567tbHRmpqtoaaafHN8kWtmrKyfmLhuucCrop6sXai9dnyPZpuor55iwam10mawnpmiZA%3D%3D