Toward the end of last week, the concerns that had weighed on the market for most of 2016 had been reignited following the post oil, share and debt buyback news that led the market higher earlier in the week. No matter what perspective we take — from government and related institutions to industry data and earnings expectations — we find further evidence of slowing global growth.

What started off as a strong week in the stock market last week — moving higher like a balloon released from a child’s grasp — gave way to the weight of gravity as the lift providing air began to leak from that balloon. The same can be said with what happened to oil prices last week, as doubts emerged over the production accord between OPEC and several other countries, which maintains record-level oil production volumes that were established this past January.