Stocks wobble as investors watch US midterm elections
A sweep by Democrats could lead to tougher oversight of AI and more corporate regulation.
Global equity markets experienced fluctuations on Nov 3 as investors awaited the results of the US midterm elections. Most polls and nonpartisan analysts predict that Democrats would gain the House of Representatives, while the control of the Senate remains uncertain. A Democratic sweep might lead to stricter oversight of artificial intelligence and increased corporate regulation.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended with gains, while consumer staples and materials shares faced losses. The Dow experienced a slight decline.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.38%, the S&P 500 rose by 0.36%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.83%. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell by 0.58%. MSCI’s index of global stocks declined by 0.06%.
Wasif Latif, chief investment officer at Sarmaya Partners, attributed the market's reaction to three key events: the Federal Reserve's meeting, the earnings season, and today's midterm elections. While the Fed meeting was deemed inconsequential, the earnings season had been generally positive, except for some hyperscalers due to rising interest rates dampening the appetite for debt spending.
Regarding the elections, Latif noted that polls forecast a strong showing for Democrats, but the market might not fully appreciate potential restrictions on data centers.
On Nov 3, US President Donald Trump announced the agreement to halt $4 billion in funding to Israel, stating that Israel no longer required the financial assistance, and some Democrats and left-wing politicians used it as a point of criticism against Republicans. This announcement caused oil prices to drop. Brent crude futures fell by 1.12%, settling at $103.60 per barrel.
Meanwhile, the United States and Iran remain distant from concluding an agreement to end their conflict. A senior Iranian official disclosed that the US had conducted "defensive" strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, targeting surface-to-air missiles aimed at US assets.
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