Does the coronavirus outbreak matter financially?

The coronavirus manifests as a pneumonia-like illness resistant to standard treatments. The first case was reported on Dec. 31, 2019, in the city of Wuhan located in the Hubei province in central China. As of Feb. 17, there have been approximately 71,500 confirmed cases worldwide with a death toll approaching 1,800.

Why should U.S. investors care about a viral outbreak largely contained to one country on the other side of the world? The answer lies in the importance of global economic growth, which underpins potential for growth in financial markets.

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