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Obama re-election douses Wall Street
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Nov. 7, 2012 in New York City. Share prices tanked the day after Obama’s re-election. Wall Street had rooted for Romney and his corporate, investment and personal tax cuts.
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Wall Street reacted to President Obama’s decisive win with a sell-off. Markets closed down more than 2 percent, with the Dow plunging more than 300 points. The president’s re-election wasn’t responsible for all the turmoil today, but Wall Street was definitely rooting for Romney. His donations from finance, insurance and real estate nearly tripled President Obama’s. Polling predicted a bad night for Romney, but the reality of it still stung his fans in finance.
“It felt like my puppy got run over,” said Gene Santiccioli, a bond trader. “I feel that the United States system of government is on a very dangerous cliff right now.”
Wall Street liked Romney’s emphasis on slashing taxes on dividends and capital gains. Fiscal cliff anxiety also spooked traders. If there’s no deal to avert it, supersized tax hikes and spending cuts kick in, which could punish the still-fragile economy.
“The worry, of course, is that Obama digs in because he won and the Republicans dig in because they don’t want any tax hikes, and that we’re just back to square one,” says Miller Tabak strategist Peter Boockvar.
“Square one” is the same government we’ve had for a while: Democratic White House and Senate, with Republicans running the House. It hasn’t proven effective at getting much done. But divided government doesn’t have to mean gridlock. A Republican Congress got some important things done with President Clinton. Today, House Speaker John Boehner signaled that he’s open to compromise on the looming fiscal cliff, including higher tax revenue “under the right conditions.”
David Gergen, a former adviser to Clinton as well as Republican presidents, believes President Obama should make his top priority breaking thorough partisan gridlock to solve the fiscal cliff.
“Working that out has gotta be the number one, number two and number three,” he says.
Mark Garrison: Even in the driving sleet of a fierce nor’easter, tourists mugged for photos in front of the giant charging bull statue near Wall Street. But a few blocks away at the New York Stock Exchange, or at any number of American trading floors, the bulls were in full retreat. The sentiment about President Obama’s re-election is as gloomy as the bitter weather outside.
Gene Santiccioli: I described it to somebody, it felt like my puppy got run over.
Gene Santiccioli, a bond trader, backed Romney.
Santiccioli: It didn’t turn out the way we thought and I feel that the United States system of government is on a very dangerous cliff right now.
The president’s re-election wasn’t responsible for all the turmoil today, but Wall Street was definitely rooting for Romney. His donations from finance, insurance and real estate nearly tripled President Obama’s. Wall Street liked Romney’s emphasis on slashing taxes. Fiscal cliff anxiety also spooked traders. The supersized tax hikes and spending cuts would punish the still fragile economy.
Peter Boockvar: The worry of course is that Obama digs in because he won and the Republicans dig in because they don’t want any tax hikes and that we’re just back to square one.
That’s Miller Tabak strategist Peter Boockvar. Square one is the same government we’ve had for a while: Democratic White House and Senate, with Republicans running the House. Former presidential adviser David Gergen says the president’s top priority is breaking thorough that gridlock to solve the fiscal cliff.
David Gergen: Working that out has gotta be the number one, number two and number three.
House Speaker John Boehner signaled today he could compromise. If they can come together, that frustrated, waterlogged bull, may take charge again. In New York, I'm Mark Garrison, for Marketplace.
Let's look at this another way. "Wall Street abhors uncertainty." They knew a Romney election would signal the gravy train for monied and corporate interests over the middle class and individuals would be leaving the station for a cross-country vamp. Now that someone who cares about people over corporations is confirmed in office they are not sure. Tough luck.
to the voter who would like Barack to consider moving the 250k to 500k, consider this:
Bernanke forces almost zero interest returns to the elderly savers to intice them to spend in this economy. Rysdal needs to ensure his public is not as ignorant as many others when glossing over what is a "marginal tax bracket" and NOT the overall rate. One could say the 250k earner get the reduced rate of the 30k, 60k, 100k (?) just not the highest bracket. And then, the public needs to understand small business pass through earnings to personal income tax. If you the business owner were likewise "encouraged" to expense your windfall by investing in equipment or an employee (just enough to move the net down to 250k), then you still get to amass 1M every 4 years. That's what I'd like Barack to say in return.
