(Washington)

With the midterms finally over, investors need to think critically about how the market will respond. In particular, specific sectors will have different reactions. With that in mind here are six sectors to watch. Drugmakers seem likely to be seen favorably as the split between the parties means new regulation governing prices seems less likely. Banks could go either way, but most expect Trump’s deregulatory agenda to continue. Technology is looking less favorable as regulation and scrutiny of the sector is one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement. Industrials are looking less favorable as well, as the odds of a big infrastructure package have decreased. Energy seems neutral, as no big changes appear likely. Finally, marijuana stocks are likely to jump.

FINSUM: There is going to be quite a range of reactions over the next few months as each sector digests how the newly split Congress will affect them.

(Los Angeles)

More bad news is flowing out of the housing market. For the last several months, home sales, new builds, and demand has been falling. Prices are down in some major metropolitan areas. Now, new data shows that mortgage demand is contracting. US mortgage applications fell to their lowest level since 2014 in recent weeks. This comes on the back of mortgage rates rising to their highest since 2010.

FINSUM: There have been eight rate hikes since 2018 and home prices are at lofty levels. A downturn should come as no surprise.

(Washington)

The midterms are finally over, and with it the possible end to the volatility of the last month. Many on Wall Street now say stocks are ready to gain as buying fever takes over. The election went almost exactly as expected, which has set up a possible goldilocks scenario for markets. With Congress split, it is likely that policy gridlock will take over, a situation many think is ideal for stocks. The idea is that the less government does, the more room the market has to operate uninhibited.

FINSUM: The key here is that a split Congress means there likely won’t be any huge policy changes over the next two years. That seems favorable for stocks given the political uncertainty over the last 24 months.

(Washington)

This midterm election might have ended up being very consequential for muni bond markets. Some in the muni market feared the possibility of the Republicans maintaining control of both the House and Senate because of how further tax changes could have hurt the finances of municipalities. However, now that Congress is split, the outlook seems more favorable. The reason why is that Congress now looks more likely to restore a tax exemption for a debt refinancing strategy that is often used by local governments.

FINSUM: Just like in other asset classes, having a split Congress looks favorable for munis.

(Washington)

The midterm elections are finally in the rearview mirror, and generally speaking, the results are exactly what the market expected. That means it may be time for a rush back into stocks after the turmoil of the last month. One analyst put it this way, saying “Following this week’s volatility and the FANGs selloff this week, we’re likely to see traders getting back in and buying the dip. The elections have been a win for both the Republicans and the Democrats, and this will bring balance to the market”.

FINSUM: We do suspect investors will breath a sigh of relief. Firstly, things went according to plan, but secondly, a split Congress is in some ways the best case scenario for stocks.