By — Stan Choe, Associated Press Stan Choe, Associated Press By — David McHugh, Associated Press David McHugh, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/u-s-stocks-surge-and-the-dow-soars-1500-points-as-brent-oils-price-drops-below-95-per-barrel Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter U.S. stocks surge, and the Dow soars 1,500 points as Brent oil's price drops below $95 per barrel Economy Nov 4, 2026 3:47 PM EST NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are soaring Wednesday after President Donald Trump's party lost its sole control of Washington in the midterm elections. Stocks generally do well in the months following any midterm U.S. election, regardless of who wins, and the S&P 500 jumped 1.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,519 points, or 2.9%, as of 2:06 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.9% higher. Stocks of solar-power companies, dollar stores and hospital owners helped lead the way as Wall Street tried to sort the winners from losers following the widespread losses for Republicans. Investors, meanwhile, see risks ahead for Trump's social-media company, the artificial-intelligence industry and businesses owned by Elon…
U.S. stocks surge, and the Dow soars 1,500 points as Brent oil's price drops below $95 per barrel
In short
The prospect of political gridlock fueled broad market gains, lifting solar-power providers, dollar stores, and hospital operators on expectations of policy stability. Even as major indexes jumped, analysts emphasized that corporate earnings trends and prevailing interest rates will ultimately determine long-term market trajectories. Certain political and tech-aligned sectors suffered sharp pullbacks, reflecting worries over new regulatory scrutiny and potential congressional probes under Democratic leadership.
Key points
- Wall Street often favors divided government because it diminishes the likelihood of sweep…: Wall Street often favors divided government because it diminishes the likelihood of sweeping legislative and economic changes.
- Potential congressional investigations and heightened regulatory oversight weighed heavil…: Potential congressional investigations and heightened regulatory oversight weighed heavily on artificial intelligence firms and companies tied to prominent Republican figures.
- Long-term equity performance remains fundamentally tied to underlying corporate earnings…: Long-term equity performance remains fundamentally tied to underlying corporate earnings and interest rates rather than political shifts alone.