With Trump being voted in as U.S. president, what will traders focus on?
With a new president come new economic policies that have implications for financial markets worldwide. Traders often consider this period as one of volatility and opportunity.
Stock indices
Stock market indices are a quick way to trade around the U.S. presidential election, and this time was no different. The S&P 500 shot higher the day following the election as uncertainty diminished, with expectations that Trump will introduce pro-growth strategies. In the current situation, where the president is Republican and Republicans also control the House and the Senate, typical annual growth has been 12.9% per year. Notably, from 1950 to November 2023, election-year returns have ranged between -40% and +30%, with the return on 6 November already at 23% year-to-date, indicating a rather limited upside.