Yesterday (September 20, 2021), global markets slumped on the news that Evergrande, a Chinese real estate developer, was headed for bankruptcy. For some, it’s brought to mind the great financial crisis in 2008, when a collapsing real estate sector almost took the U.S. and global banking system down, starting with the Lehman Brothers investment bank. In other words, many now fear that Evergrande could kick off China’s “Lehman moment.”

Could Evergrande Kick Off China’s Lehman Moment?

Midyear Outlook 2021: Finding Our Way Back to Normal

Halfway through 2021, we can finally see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. There has been much progress with public health and the economy. Vaccines have controlled the virus and brought new case growth down to pandemic lows. Millions of jobs have returned as the country has reopened. But as we enter the second half of the year, new problems have emerged: those of success. Labor and supply shortages, plus the shadow of inflation, are calling the recovery into question.