Market observers are expecting a turnaround in Federal Reserve (Fed) policy based on official comments. One of the major changes will be a slowdown in asset purchases by the Fed, this action has typically been called "tapering" by the general public. The last time a similar action was announced was in 2013, where it caught the market by surprise, resulting in market volatility as investors scrambled to react to this pullback in central bank support. Tapering is once again expected to happen sometime in the future, but this time the Fed has given markets ample warning that they are considering this action. The chart compares several macroeconomic and market indicators at the time of tapering in 2013 to what they are now. This essentially highlights the differences between 2013 and 2021.