It is a brand new year, but for listing exchanges and companies making stock-market debuts, the start of 2022 feels like a rewind to 2020. Soaring Covid-19 cases in the U.S. are sending Americans back into retreat. The wave also has companies that are on deck for initial public offerings re-evaluating their listing-day plans and, in some cases, delaying debuts. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market are still allowing some in-person bell ringings, a highly coveted event. But in late December, NYSE raised the bar for its guests, mandating that they now be vaccinated and submit a negative Covid-19 test up to 24 hours before their scheduled visit.

Questions:

• How has the IPO process evolved as a result of Covid-19?
• Based on the article, what are some of the factors that impact investor interest in IPOs?
• According to the article, how could Omicron impact IPO processes this winter?