When global markets shake, not much does well. That’s certainly been the case the past several weeks, as worries about the potential economic impact of COVID-19 have spread.

Energy stocks were just beginning a recovery earlier this year when Chinese authorities first indicated an elevated threat to public health. What’s happened since is a full-on retreat in major sector indexes, with both the Alerian MLP Index and S&P 500 Energy Sector Index taking out the lows of early 2016.

That’s extraordinary for the fact alone that benchmark oil prices are still more than $20 above their February 2016 low point of $26 per barrel and change. Even North American benchmark natural gas is trading 8 percent higher than its March 2016 nadir of $1.61 per thousand cubic foot.

Q4 earnings reporting season is moving into high gear. And so far, Energy and Income Advisor recommendations are holding their own despite volatile oil and gas prices, reduced industry-wide spending and generally hostile capital markets.

The bad news is with coronavirus fears pressuring global oil prices, the market isn’t paying much attention to the numbers. Nor do investors appear to be giving a lot of credence to management guidance for 2020 that’s considerably more conservative and therefore achievable, as fears of a global economic slide percolate.