Rising stocks
Stocks rise as Trump spurs relief hopes.
Stocks closed broadly higher Wednesday on Wall Street after President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack on his decision to halt talks on another rescue effort for the economy.
The S&P 500 climbed 1.7 percent after Trump sent a series of tweets late Tuesday saying he’s open to sending out $1,200 payments to Americans, as well as limited programs to prop up the airline industry and small businesses.
The tweets came just hours after Trump sent the market into a sudden tailspin with his declaration that his representatives should halt talks with Democrats on a broad stimulus effort for the economy until after the election, saying that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been negotiating in bad faith. The stakes are high, as economists, investors and the chair of the Federal Reserve all say the economy needs another dose of support following the expiration of weekly jobless benefits and other stimulus Congress approved earlier this year.
“What we’ve seen over the last 24 hours is just confirmation that the market is really addicted to stimulus from the government,” said Sal Bruno, chief investment officer at Indexiq. “When it thinks it’s not getting it, it sells off, and when it looks like there’s a possibility
for that it rises, as we’ve seen today.”
The S&P 500 index rose 58.49 points to 3,419.44, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 530.70 points, or 1.9 percent, to 28,303.46.
The Nasdaq composite climbed 210 points, or 1.9 percent, to 11,364.60, despite a call by Democratic lawmakers for Congress to rein in the Big Tech companies that dominate it and other indexes. The proposal, which follows a 15month investigation by a House Judiciary Committee panel, could make it harder for Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google’s parent company to acquire others and impose new rules to safeguard competition.
Still, much of the market’s attention remains fixed on the prospects for more stimulus for the economy from Washington. Wednesday’s gains helped the S&P 500 recoup all of its loss from the day before, when Trump’s tweets suddenly sent it from a 0.7 percent gain to a 1.4 percent loss.
Just a few hours before Trump made his announcement on Tuesday to halt negotiations, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had asked Congress to come through with more aid. He said that too little support “would lead to a weak recovery, creating unnecessary hardship.”
Some analysts characterized Trump’s move as likely a negotiating ploy.
“I do not believe hopes of a stimulus deal are now gone forever,” said Jeffrey Halley of trading and research firm Oanda. “One of Mr. Trump’s favorite negotiating tactics, judging by past actions, is to walk away from the negotiating table abruptly. The intention being to frighten the other side into concessions.”