Note
to Shareholders:
Early
in 2020, the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 emerged as a public health
emergency that had a major influence on financial markets, primarily based on
its impact on the global economy and corporate earnings. On March 11, 2020, the
World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, citing
sustained risk of further global spread. The pandemic prompted a number of
measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, including travel and border
restrictions, quarantines, and restrictions on large gatherings. In turn, these
resulted in lower consumer activity, diminished demand for a wide range of
products and services, disruption in manufacturing and supply chains, and –
given the wide variability in outcomes regarding the outbreak – significant
market uncertainty and volatility. To help stem the turmoil, the U.S. government
took unprecedented action – in concert with the U.S. Federal Reserve and central
banks around the world – to help support consumers, businesses, and the broader
economy, and to limit disruption to the financial system.
In
general, the overall impact of the pandemic lessened in 2021, amid a resilient
economy and widespread distribution of three COVID-19 vaccines granted emergency
use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) early in the
year. Still, the situation remains dynamic, and the extent and duration of its
influence on financial markets and the economy is highly uncertain, due in part
to a recent spike in cases based on highly contagious variants of the
coronavirus.
Extreme
events such as the COVID-19 crisis are exogenous shocks that can have
significant adverse effects on mutual funds and their investments. Although
multiple asset classes may be affected by market disruption, the duration and
impact may not be the same for all types of assets. Fidelity is committed to
helping you stay informed amid news about COVID-19 and during increased market
volatility, and we continue to take extra steps to be responsive to customer
needs. We encourage you to visit us online, where we offer ongoing updates,
commentary, and analysis on the markets and our funds.