Oil and gas stocks for a Trump win? It may not be so simple
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It has finally arrived. Americans are heading to the polls on Tuesday to vote in the 2024 election, which will not only decide who takes the White House, but also control of Congress. Swing states will play an outsized role at the ballot box, especially places like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. While half of all likely voters have already cast their votes via mail or early in-person voting, many of those 81M ballots can only be tabulated by election officials on Election Day or after the polls close tonight.
Election investing: Simply turning to sectors, or individual stocks, that may benefit from one party’s platform, may be more akin to gambling and not always reflect the reality of how returns actually play out. A recent example is “oil and gas” vs. “green energy” under the Trump and Biden administrations. The S&P Global Clean Energy Index (SPGTCLEN) soared under Trump and the S&P 500 Energy Sector Index (SP500-10) declined (even before the COVID pandemic), while the exact opposite happened during Biden’s term in office despite his policies.
Besides diversification, a better approach may be to zoom out to the overall market, especially given the outsized returns of the major equity indices under both recent administrations. The S&P 500 (SP500) hit its 47th record high of the year a couple of weeks ago, keeping the current bull market going. It might also be just as important to look past the election hype and into areas that will be in high demand regardless of who is sitting in Washington, such as artificial intelligence and military hardware.
Need stock picks? If the election itch is too much, it might be wise to increase exposure to investments that are likely to perform well under any administration. Seeking Alpha’s Vice President of Quant Strategy Steven Cress outlined six stocks to consider whether Trump or Harris is victorious, including Argan (AGX), Powell Industries (POWL) and Zeta Global (ZETA). See the rest here. “These stocks have great fundamentals, and they’re positioned to do quite well probably if either candidate wins,” Cress said during Seeking Alpha’s Election 2024 Investing Forum.
More on the election
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- Artificial intelligence is a hot topic for voters. What does the election mean for AI?
- Wall Street prepares for election day showdown: Will Trump vs. Harris ignite S&P 500 rally?
- Stock investors looking for ‘unambiguous winner’ in U.S. presidential election – analyst
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