The Biggest Portfolio News of 2020

In the early months of 2020, after the initial outbreak of the coronavirus and its related shutdowns — as well as problems in the oil markets — stocks began to fall. By March 11, when the Dow closed at 23,553, it was down over 20% from its Feb. 12 high. That meant the start of a bear market and the end of the 11-year bull market, which began in March 2009. But just 12 days later (on March 23), investors began pushing stock prices higher. By Aug. 18, the S&P 500 had surpassed its Feb. 19 high. For the year 2020, the S&P 500 was up 16.2%, while the Nasdaq had soared 43.6%. The Dow Jones improved 7.2%. During these market developments, the largest asset managers have filed multiple registrations for new products. They've also closed some funds, moved to buy rivals and taken other steps that aim their competitiveness in 2021 and beyond. See the panel (above) for the top portfolio developments of 2020.