And, we are off and running! President Biden and his new administration have come out of the gate with a flurry. As expected, several executive orders were signed in the first few hours of his Presidency amid little fanfare. Nearly all of these lined up with the headlines that had preceded him taking the Oath. There was one notable exception, and that was the order to stop the Keystone Pipeline. It seems this has also caught the Canadian Prime Minister by surprise as it was widely expected that they would meet and discuss before any changes were going to take place. Clearly, that is not the case, and as Biden has spoken about previously, the shift to alternative energy sources with the backing of the White House is under way.
The week ahead should also prove interesting as an impending impeachment trial may get under way while several prominent positions within the new administration are being vetted. The headlines will remain plentiful for now. We continue to get promising news on the vaccine front, and I recommend reading the article about Johnson & Johnson and where they stand in the process (see link below). They are currently in late-stage trials for a single dose vaccine, and with a production capability that far exceeds the others, could make a major impact on the vaccination front. We are starting to hear directly from some of you who are now getting signed up for your first doses of Moderna and Pfizer. I find this encouraging for all of us.
You should have received a notice regarding electronic delivery from our Broker/Dealer and Custodian in your year-end statement mailing. Like many industries and businesses there is a tremendous push towards going paperless. It is hard to argue the positive environmental impact this will have going forward. As a dear friend and client likes to remind me often, “I could personally save a forest with the amount of paper you send me!” I’m afraid he is correct, and we are in support of this initiative. While we tend to not like change, especially when it comes to our very important financial documents, change is coming. Please know that we are here to assist in this process to ensure a smooth transition. We realize there may be certain circumstances that need and warrant further discussion and I welcome those conversations. As your fiduciary we do have your best interests at heart. Remember, we are all in this together!
Have a wonderful and restful weekend.
Your local Towson Financial Advisors