As Commonwealth CIO Brad McMillan puts it, markets in February basically rocked. Here in the U.S., all three major indices rose substantially, and markets around the world also did quite well. Why is this happening? The economic news is good, with U.S. consumers and businesses feeling optimistic. What’s more, for the first time since the crisis, we’re seeing a synchronized global upturn, with most areas and regions starting to expand. Will the recovery continue (and possibly accelerate)? The prospects are encouraging. Follow Brad at blog.commonwealth.com/independent-market-observer.