Some Respite at Hand, But a Long Road Ahead

With the first half of 2020 now in the rearview mirror, the world is taking stock of the ongoing challenges faced by the pandemic as some countries emerge successfully from lockdown while others reckon with initial and follow-on flare-ups. The disruptive impact of the economic lockdowns is bouncing back with the U.S. reporting 4.7 million new jobs in June with many furloughed workers going back to work. The stock market makes a comeback as S&P 500 gained over 19% in the second quarter. The global pandemic is accelerating digital transformation across nearly every industry, and one can see adaptation everywhere.