US Elections have been and are always expected to be extremely volatile events worldwide. Elections, similar to other political or banking sector events, are notably treated by market participants with anticipation and speculation.
As soon as Kamala Harris entered the Presidential race, replacing Joe Biden on the ticket, the stock markets began showing a noticeable preference for her. Market Watch reports that based on current stock market trends, Harris has a 64% chance of winning the election, a significant shift from the previously erratic market behavior.
This shift in the stock market is a positive indicator, suggesting that investors are placing their confidence in the Democrats and their potential economic policies. While the impact on the election outcome might be minimal, the fact that a significant portion of these investors are also voters means that careful analysis of market trends could provide insights into the current political climate as the 2024 US Presidential Election approaches.
Historically, it has been noticed that during election years, market participants shift their investments into money market funds instead of the safety of stock and bond funds, as they wait out the heightened uncertainty.
But will 2024 be the same? We cannot quite know yet but it’s been a unique one so far as we have seen an extreme money flow into equity market and commodity market in comparison with past election years, due to geopolitical risk, US political uncertainties which added to the instability, AI mania which boosted global stock markets, and the recession concerns which initially returned but currently are considered to have been overblown, as were aggressive Fed rate cut bets.
Are stock market investors rallying behind Kamala Harris? If we consider Market Watch’s analysis, Harris is indeed receiving substantial support from stock market investors across the US. This is reflected in the increased investments and the positive performance of certain stocks following her entry into the race after Biden’s unexpected withdrawal.
Can the stock market serve as a reliable political barometer? The stock markets can offer insights into voter sentiment and have historically been a strong political predictor.
In periods of uncertainty, the equity markets’ volatility and volume tend to spike again since they are considered to be attractive and more stable assets. If we focus on the medium term though it is expected that if current conditions sustain, market volatility will extend beyond Election days with any potential outcome, i.e. a Harris win and Democrat majority in Congress, a Harris win but split Congress, or a Trump victory with split Congress.
Meanwhile, a chart from Wells Fargo Investment Institute, shows the USA500 implied Volatility index along with USA500 index performance prior and post the Election Day based on the elections since 1988 with the 2008 recession year excluded. This chart interestingly suggests that typically the USA500 tends to ease/consolidate a bit a month prior to the elections despite an extremely high volatility, while USA500 price continues its upwards move after the election day even though volatility declines significantly.
However, it’s crucial to remember that market trends don’t always align with election outcomes. For instance, during the 2016 election, the stock market favored Hillary Clinton, but the final results told a different story.
Historically, the markets have shown a tendency to respond more favorably to Democratic candidates rather than Republicans, due to various factors. It remains to be seen if the stock market’s predictions for the 2024 US election will prove accurate.
Currently, market trends suggest a positive response towards Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, who is gradually gaining traction in the polls. However, as fear of a potential recession is still in the background, the US stock markets are in a state of uncertainty.
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Andria Pichidi
Market Analyst
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