How the stock market has performed on Election Day

The U.S. stock market was closed on Election Day through the 1980 election. How it has performed on Election Day in the years since:

Nov. 6, 1984: Hours before Ronald Reagan beats Walter Mondale in a landslide for re-election, and with the economy healing after a deep recession, the Dow climbs 14 points to 1,244.

Nov. 8, 1988: The market enjoys a strong morning in anticipation of a victory by George Bush over Michael Dukakis. It holds only a fraction of the gain, and the Dow ends up two points at 2,127.

Nov. 3, 1992: An uneventful session one day after a rally based in part on speculation that a Bill Clinton presidency wouldn't hurt the markets. The Dow ends down nine points at 3,252.

Nov. 5, 1996: In the middle of a historic bull market, investors embrace hope that Democrat Clinton and a Republican Congress will keep each other in check. The Dow rises 39 to 6,081, within 13 points of its all-time high.

Nov. 7, 2000: George W. Bush and Al Gore go to the wire, and investors hold their bets. The Dow closes down 25 points at 10,952. The Dow slides as much as 5 percent during the five-week fight over the Florida vote.

Nov. 2, 2004: After a five-day winning streak, the market confronts the prospect that the race between George W. Bush and John Kerry won't be settled on Election Night. Late selling pushes the Dow down 18 points to 10,035.

Nov. 4, 2008: Investors expect an Obama victory and look ahead to a new administration to confront the financial crisis and deepening recession. At a time when wild swings are common, the Dow climbs 305 points to 9,625.

By The Associated Press

8 thoughts on “How the stock market has performed on Election Day

  1. I don't, even for a moment, think that I know who will win. I voted for Obama in '08, but I voted for Romney this time around because none of the Wall Street bankers have gone to jail. I talking about the crooks who made hundreds of millions and sometimes billions pulling off a robbery that hurt us so bad that even the finances of the entire world has been shaken by the shockwaves! Clinton jailed 300 of the crooks behind the S & L Scandal in '90. Now that's what defines a President, not whether he plays around with a few interns on the side.
    Obama was a civic activist whom the bankers decided to secretly finance because he had a good oratorical voice and he is loyal to George Soros, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and J.P. Morgan because they own him.

  2. fight to the finish...reguardless of any short lived dipin the next week or so, get ready to rally across the board for year end rebalancing for fund managers needing bonus and to keep their jobs... stock market needs to and will act to their need at this end of year reguardless of pres elect....maybe Reb elect will be better for market ... i do believe that

  3. fight to the finish...i dont care and i think others traders, end of year, end of quarter etc , fund managers needing to make bonus or just keep their jobs need a win..will just make the market move reguardless....if there is a short term dip in the nect week or so...get ready to rally in everything across the board..and take profit anf losses for the year to rebalance according to the rules of taxes and most advantage...by then we will now what to expect with cap gains/losses in the future.

  4. How can anyone in their right mind think Obama is doing a good job.
    If You kept taking your car to a mechanic and he never could fix the problem, would you continue to use the same guy?

  5. Romney will win. Obama had an opportunity
    To lead but failed on a number of issues. Jobs
    Were not addressed aggressively so it is time
    For a change!

    1. We can only hope and pray that we are so Lucky! All they do any way is try to lie and cheat their way into office, then when they get there all we have to look forward to is higher taxes, more wars ( that they or their ilk DO NOT fight), and being screwed to death. Enough is enough! Go Obama!

  6. I feel that Obama wll win as he has the latino vote ,the black vote and all the people that are on welfare and disability votes..That is a lot of votes for Romney to overcome..

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