• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Finance

Stocks rise on game-changing news: A new President and a possible vaccine

Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 9, 2020, 10:45 AM ET

Investors are optimistic Monday morning as stocks soared on news that Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States and that a late-stage Pfizer vaccine might soon be ready for use.

The S&P 500 is up roughly 3% in morning trading, with the Dow soaring over 4% as many of the more beaten-down names jumped on positive developments for a potential vaccine.

The stock gains Monday come after a strong week for markets, as those like Michael Reynolds, investment strategy officer at Glenmede Trust, argue, “In a sense, the market has already reacted to what it’s seen as the most likely outcome” of the election.

Indeed, despite a nail-biting four days awaiting the election outcome, markets soared roughly 7%—with the S&P 500 just shy of its all-time high—as investors priced in a Biden victory and a split Congress.

Then pharma giant Pfizer and German firm BioNTech announced early Monday that their coronavirus vaccine, currently in late-stage trials, prevented 90% of infections in participants—sending global markets and U.S. stocks (save for stay-at-home names) higher.

If it turns out to be legitimate, the Pfizer vaccine could be a “game changer,” Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for Independent Advisor Alliance, said in a note Monday, and “to the extent that consumer spending and economic activity have been suppressed by concerns of the increasing COVID cases, anything that can reverse that trend will be welcomed by the markets.”

An election ‘sweet spot’

But apart from the encouraging early report on the vaccine, the election result over the weekend finally gives investors some certainty about the next administration following a tumultuous year, an ongoing pandemic, and a contentious election season that saw stocks fall and soar from one week to the next.

“We’re seeing some of those risks resolve, politically certainly, and that’s meaningful,” Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial Network, tells Fortune. “Political uncertainty is only going to ratchet down as we move forward, once we get through the Georgia elections, [and] that’s going to help,” he adds, referring to the runoff elections for two Senate seats in Georgia.

Though President-elect Biden is projected to secure the White House handily, Democrats in the Senate haven’t had such decisive victories. The likelihood of a Blue Wave, or a Democrat-controlled House and Senate, has dimmed in recent days, though the Senate races are tight, and Democrats could still secure the necessary seats to control the chamber in January.

But for markets a split Congress scenario would be the “sweet spot,” McMillan says.

Indeed, “the legislative environment, what can actually get done in Washington, matters more” than the President for investors, LPL Financial’s Jeff Buchbinder recently told Fortune. A split Congress would likely quell some of the bigger policy changes President-elect Biden has proposed and “has major implications for tax policy, which is probably the No. 1 market issue with regard to the election,” Buchbinder argued.

Even if Democrats are able to eke out enough seats to hold a 50/50 split with Vice President–elect Kamala Harris holding the tiebreaker vote, those like Reynolds aren’t convinced it will make the Democrats’ policy proposals all that much easier to pass with such slim margins.

“[The Democrats would] really have to thread the needle if they’re going to try to get anything through,” notes Reynolds. “It’s a difficult environment to maneuver some of these very large changes Biden has been putting forward, whether it’s changes to the Affordable Care Act or the tax increases they’ve been talking about.”

In other words? Investors are likely already breathing a sigh of relief that more aggressive policies, in their view, will be avoided.

For now, strategists say, all eyes on the Street are turning to another fiscal stimulus package to boost the recovery further and any ongoing vaccine news that could signal turning the corner on the coronavirus. Though it’s possible another stimulus package could come during the lame-duck session before the next Congress sits in January, some economists find it unlikely.

Glenmede’s Reynolds argues, “The way things are going now, we perhaps get a smaller package that sort of is a stopgap measure to make sure, in the short run, people are getting what they need with enhanced unemployment insurance, or if they do another round of stimulus checks.”

But should further evidence of a successful vaccine hit the wires, those like Brian Price, head of investment management for Commonwealth Financial Network, note the Pfizer news “is coming at a time when the number of daily cases is increasing at a worrisome rate, so any positive news that could potentially reverse these trends will be viewed favorably by the market.”

Indeed, Wall Street firms like UBS are now looking beyond the race for the White House: “Election Day is behind us, but corporate earnings can still improve with further stimulus, an end to COVID-19, and continued economic recovery. Fiscal stimulus should be supportive even if it is less than expected, and we still expect a vaccine to become widely available by the second quarter of next year,” strategists at UBS wrote in a note Friday.

In the meantime, one thing investors can likely expect with a Biden administration? Less Twitter noise roiling the stock market. Says Reynolds: “A little bit more stability in terms of executive policy is something that will be a positive in a Biden administration.”

About the Author
Anne Sraders
By Anne Sraders
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

U.S. reaches limit of sanctions power in targeting Iran’s economy
PoliticsIran
U.S. reaches limit of sanctions power in targeting Iran’s economy
By Magdalena Del Valle and BloombergMay 23, 2026
27 minutes ago
Trump’s 3,711 trades point to multiple stock-market strategies
InvestingDonald Trump
Trump’s 3,711 trades point to multiple stock-market strategies
By Justina Lee, Vivien Ngo, Elena Popina, Matthew Griffin and BloombergMay 23, 2026
39 minutes ago
U.S. debt is the ‘elephant in the room’ amid bond market rout as Fed-fueled interest costs could drive even larger deficits, analysts warn
EconomyDebt
U.S. debt is the ‘elephant in the room’ amid bond market rout as Fed-fueled interest costs could drive even larger deficits, analysts warn
By Jason MaMay 23, 2026
3 hours ago
The Fed’s worst inflation fears may be coming true as consumers lose faith in long-term prices—and even Trump supporters doubt he can bring relief
EconomyInflation
The Fed’s worst inflation fears may be coming true as consumers lose faith in long-term prices—and even Trump supporters doubt he can bring relief
By Jason MaMay 23, 2026
6 hours ago
w
Environmentclimate change
The asphalt industry has a heat problem — and cities are running out of patience
By Aya Diab, Alexa St. John and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
7 hours ago
c
EconomyEuropean Union
Europe Just admitted the Iran War’s price shock isn’t going away
By Menelaos Hadjicostis and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
2 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Success
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
By Preston ForeMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
AI
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
By Jake AngeloMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 22, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 22, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.