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

5 stocks to buy if Trump wins—and 5 to sell

By
Greg McKenna
Greg McKenna
News Fellow
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Greg McKenna
Greg McKenna
News Fellow
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 2, 2024, 1:40 PM ET
Donald Trump speaks at a podium during a press conference in the ballroom of the Mar-a-Lago Club.
What could a second Trump presidency mean for your portfolio? Joe Raedle—Getty Images

If Donald Trump wins next week’s election and returns to the Oval Office in January, it will have direct consequences for U.S. business and the economy—and by extension for individual Americans’ stock portfolio. This means it’s a good time for investors to assess their holdings and to consider what sectors might thrive or suffer under a second Trump administration.

Recommended Video

Some plays seem obvious. Trump has traditionally been viewed as positive for banks and fossil fuel companies, but a scourge for sectors like renewables. Several analysts told Fortune, however, that the story might not be quite that simple. From tariffs to tax policy, other potential impacts of a second Trump administration also loom large.

All that said, here are stocks that could rally or plunge if Trump emerges victorious on Nov. 5:

What to Buy  

Banks may be the crux of the Trump trade. Jay Hatfield, the CEO of Infrastructure Capital Advisors, isn’t a fan of stock picking based on the presidential race. Nonetheless, he’s willing to say financials would benefit from a Trump presidency (regardless of whether Republicans gain control of Congress) due to presumably lighter regulations. JPMorgan Chase, America’s largest bank, could see a boost to its bottom line.

That could also hold true for private equity firms and other asset managers, who have been forced to weather a tough period for deal-making. A company like alternative asset behemoth KKR would stand to benefit from an uptick in both IPOs and M&A.

Crypto is almost certainly set for a friendlier regulatory environment under either Kamala Harris or Trump, at least compared to the status quo under current SEC chair Gary Gensler. The Republican nominee has openly embraced the industry during this election cycle, however, and many crypto bulls are pricing in a Trump victory. Crypto exchange Coinbase and software company MicroStrategy, the largest public corporate holder of Bitcoin, would benefit from a post-election surge.

Finally, energy is broadly seen a Trump play thanks to the former president’s promise to “drill, baby, drill.” Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist for CFRA Research, believes the supply and demand story could be a bit more complicated. Increasing oil production substantially, he said, would reduce the cost of oil.

“That would hurt the upstream companies that are drillers, [as well as] exploration and production companies,” he said, “but it would be helpful to the downstream.” The latter includes refiners like Valero Energy and natural gas transportation giant Kinder Morgan.  

See also: 5 Stocks to buy if Harris wins—and 5 to sell

What to Sell  

According to this logic, however, prominent drillers like HF Sinclair (famous for its dinosaur logo) and Helmerich and Payne might not benefit from a supposed Trump energy boom.

It’s worth nothing that Hatfield is skeptical of such a story. He also believes the doom and gloom around the future of renewables under Trump is irrational, saying it’s unlikely Republicans will be able to follow through on their calls to repeal or significantly reshape the Inflation Reduction Act, which encourages investments in manufacturing and clean energy.

Regardless, the subject of tariffs is what likely looms largest for retailers. As part of his campaign promises to put “America First,” Trump has proposed at least a 10% tax on all U.S. imports and a minimum 60% tariff on all Chinese goods.

Mainstream economists emphasize that resulting price increases will be passed on to American consumers. That could hit major importers like Walmart and Dollar General hard, Stovall said.

Meanwhile, retaliatory tariffs and trade wars could have a chilling effect on global trade. Cargo and logistics companies like German shipping giant DHL stand to lose.

“If there’s less trade,” Stovall said, then there’s less money to be made.”

Don’t be surprised, then, if a Trump victory causes these stocks to sell-off.

Join us at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit May 19–20, 2026, in Atlanta. The next era of workplace innovation is here—and the old playbook is being rewritten. At this exclusive, high-energy event, the world’s most innovative leaders will convene to explore how AI, humanity, and strategy converge to redefine, again, the future of work. Register now.
About the Author
By Greg McKennaNews Fellow
LinkedIn icon

Greg McKenna is a news fellow at Fortune.

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
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
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
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Man with glasses in a suit smiling
C-SuiteCEO salaries and executive compensation
Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav’s ‘extraordinary’ $887 million golden parachute gets ripped by proxy advisory firm ISS
By Amanda GerutApril 8, 2026
6 hours ago
The Iran war is either concluding with the world worse off, or escalation is just delayed again
EnergyIran
The Iran war is either concluding with the world worse off, or escalation is just delayed again
By Jordan BlumApril 8, 2026
10 hours ago
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on April 04, 2025 in New York City.
PoliticsIran
Within a day, the Iran-U.S. ceasefire began breaking down. Markets shrugged
By Eva RoytburgApril 8, 2026
10 hours ago
Analysts warn the TACO trade won’t last forever after an Iran ceasefire wipes out weeks of losses in markets
InvestingDonald Trump
Analysts warn the TACO trade won’t last forever after an Iran ceasefire wipes out weeks of losses in markets
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 8, 2026
12 hours ago
How dual incomes and the tech boom turned the upper middle class into America’s biggest income group
Personal Financehousehold income
How dual incomes and the tech boom turned the upper middle class into America’s biggest income group
By Sam Klebanov and Morning BrewApril 8, 2026
12 hours ago
Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF began trading. An analyst put it in the top 1% of ETF launches
CryptoBitcoin
Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF began trading. An analyst put it in the top 1% of ETF launches
By Jack KubinecApril 8, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. had a national debt ‘home run’ in its grasp, says Jamie Dimon. But the government did nothing, and now its best option is crisis management
Economy
The U.S. had a national debt ‘home run’ in its grasp, says Jamie Dimon. But the government did nothing, and now its best option is crisis management
By Fortune EditorsApril 8, 2026
20 hours ago
2 years ago, Saudi Arabia quietly canceled the ‘petrodollar’ deal with America that wired the world economy for 50 years. Then war broke out in Iran
Energy
2 years ago, Saudi Arabia quietly canceled the ‘petrodollar’ deal with America that wired the world economy for 50 years. Then war broke out in Iran
By Fortune EditorsApril 7, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott's latest donation takes her HBCU giving to well over $1 billion
Success
MacKenzie Scott's latest donation takes her HBCU giving to well over $1 billion
By Fortune EditorsApril 7, 2026
2 days ago
Artemis II’s astronauts are on their way home—a six-figure salary but no overtime or hazard pay awaits them back on Earth
Success
Artemis II’s astronauts are on their way home—a six-figure salary but no overtime or hazard pay awaits them back on Earth
By Fortune EditorsApril 7, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of April 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 8, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 8, 2026
18 hours ago
Lowe’s is investing $250 million to train plumbers, carpenters, and electricians as its CEO says skilled trades are ‘critical to the future’
Success
Lowe’s is investing $250 million to train plumbers, carpenters, and electricians as its CEO says skilled trades are ‘critical to the future’
By Fortune EditorsApril 7, 2026
2 days 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.