How Dow has performed under Trump

The Dow Jones industrial average has traded at or near record highs throughout the presidency of President Trump. That has spurred comments from the White House about the market’s approval of the administration.

Going back to 1896, the Dow has risen in the first 15 months after a new president’s election on 15 of 21 occasions.

By this measure, Trump ranks No. 2, with a 37.6% rise that just edges out Calvin Coolidge’s 36.1% gain.

Both Coolidge and FDR rank among the top three presidents in terms of Dow performance, but the biggest gains came during the Clinton administration. After an initial gain of just less than 20% in the first 15 months after the 1992 election, the Dow surged, giving Clinton an eight-year gain of 236.7%.

It’s too early to tell how Trump will fare throughout the extent of his presidency. Historically, though, early success has tended to carry through to the end of a president’s stay.