ETRADE's post-midterm return history and the prospect of political gridlock point to higher US stocks. The S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Alphabet should rise regardless of the election outcome. ETRADE says gridlock limits sweeping tax, regulatory and spending changes; under a Republican president, it reports average next-calendar-year S&P 500 gains of about 16% with Democratic control of Congress and 23% with split control. Strong 2026 gains may limit further upside, particularly in tech. x.comÂ
