Wall Street expects Trump presidency will unlock deal-making

Published On Nov 7, 2024, 11:00 AM

Wall Street anticipates a surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity following Donald Trump's presidential victory, citing a more favorable regulatory environment for deal-making. Analysts expect reduced scrutiny and lighter regulations, particularly benefiting the financial and pharmaceutical sectors. Companies like Kroger and Tapestry are likely to see their merger attempts gain traction under a Trump administration, especially after prior challenges posed by the Biden administration. While sectors such as retail and healthcare are optimistic, technology companies may still face hurdles due to Trump's historical opposition to Big Tech.

Stock Forecasts

With a more favorable regulatory landscape expected under Trump's presidency, sectors such as financial services and pharmaceuticals are set to experience increased M&A activity. Companies like Kroger and Tapestry could see their mergers approved more easily, generating potential investment opportunities in these stocks. Additionally, the broader market may benefit from this shift as investor confidence grows with anticipated economic growth.

Pharmaceutical companies, particularly those focusing on M&A like Tapestry and grocery retailers such as Kroger, are likely to thrive in a lighter regulatory climate. As antitrust scrutiny diminishes, investments in large cap pharmaceuticals could see an uplift due to favorable merger approvals.

Investors might consider engagement in the financial sector, specifically in regional banks which are poised for acquisitions as they scale. The reduction in regulatory barriers may enhance the attractiveness of these financial institutions as potential investment opportunities.

Related News

(Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's impending return to the White House appears to put the Federal Reserve on a slower and shallower path for interest rate cuts, with a slew of new policies embraced by the Republican leader poised to juice the economy and stall, or reverse, the slowdown in inflation. U.S. central bankers are still widely expected to cut the Fed's benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to the 4.50%-4.75% range when they wrap up their two-day policy meeting on Thursday. Futures contracts tied to the Fed's policy rate are also pricing in a December rate cut, though with slightly less confidence than previously, as the central bank recalibrates borrowing costs to inflation that's now much closer to its 2% target, and to a cooling labor market.

The central bank said that future cuts would be gradual amid higher inflation forecasts after the new government introduced spending and tax increases in its budget.

The Federal Reserve will announce its next interest rate move on Thursday in the wake of the U.S. election, with markets expecting the central bank to cut rates by 25 basis points.