As confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to accelerate in the U.S. and around the world, work stoppages have also increased. The resulting strain on the economy from layoffs, furloughed workers, reduced productivity, and consumer spending is beginning to appear in the data.

Stocks rebounded this week, with the S&P 500 surging 10.3%, as investors stepped in to buy discounted shares of companies after Congress approved the $2 trillion stimulus package for households and businesses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 12.8%, the Nasdaq Composite rose 9.1%, and the Russell 2000 rose 11.6%.

As I write this article the market closed with another historic day. And it was a good one - the biggest one-day percentage gain (+11.37%) for the Dow Jones Industrial Average in almost 90 years, and its largest-ever move in point terms. But the financial carnage done by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last month is undeniable.

Folks, these are trying times. We are being tested on many levels, both emotionally and financially. I thought about just posting my typical Weekly Market Recap, but y'all have probably had enough bad news and anxiety to last a lifetime already this week.

After 11 years, a perfect storm around the new coronavirus has pushed markets into bear territory. The World Health Organization officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, markets were disappointed by government policy responses, and containment measures increased as cases continue to rise globally.

Believe it or not, after all the volatility this week, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones actually gained ground, adding 0.6% and 1.8% respectively. The week's positive change masks the fact that the S&P 500 bounced around a 235-point range since last Friday.

What's the old saying in Texas? "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute." That's what watching this market is like. We're experiencing record ups and downs on a daily basis. But, as Mike Booker stated yesterday, "this storm will pass."

The coronavirus remains the focus, as the market took another gut punch today (03/03/2020) right after yesterday's historic gain. To probably no one's surprise, the roller coaster continues. Investors are reacting to headlines on the spread of the coronavirus around the globe, now officially known as COVID-19, as well as recent mixed economic data. After a relatively calm year for the markets in 2019, it's important to maintain perspective and stay disciplined.

Now that's what you call volatility! And what a difference a day makes. Monday, in a dramatic reversal from last week's steep losses, the US stock market posted its best performance in more than a decade. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,293.96 points (+5.1%) in its biggest one-day percentage gain since 2009, and its biggest point gain ever.

Folks, there is no sugarcoating it - this was a truly ugly week for investors around the globe. The stock market endured its worst performance since 2008, as the S&P 500 fell 11.5% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average surrendered 12.4%.

The coronavirus continues to impact the global stock markets negatively, and today was particularly gruesome. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than a 1,000 points (-3.56%). Just an unusually ugly day in the market by any measure of comparison.

The stock market hits new highs mid-week but sells off at the end. The S&P 500 (-1.3%) and Nasdaq Composite (-1.6%) set new intraday and closing records this week as investors remained unconcerned by the coronavirus, but stocks sold off to end the week amid a pervasively defensive tone. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.4%, and the Russell 2000 lost 0.5%.

Market stays bullish in February. It was another record-setting week, as the market remained undeterred by the coronavirus and stayed on its bullish trend. The Nasdaq Composite (+2.2%) and Russell 2000 (+1.9%) set the pace, followed by the S&P 500 (+1.6%) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (+1.0%).

The stock market continues to react to coronavirus headlines on a daily basis - with both negative and positive market swings. As the death toll rises (primarily in China at the moment), the fact that this is a human tragedy and not just an economic or financial one should not be diminished.