Wall Street Surges as Democrats Win Midterms and Brent Slips to $100

Investors greeted the Democratic midterm sweep with a burst of buying on Wall Street, betting that a divided Washington could soften trade policy and rein in the White House. At the opening bell the Dow jumped 1.8 percent, the S&P 500 rose 1.1 percent and the Nasdaq added 1 percent as traders reassessed the political landscape.

Retailers led the optimism over possible tariff changes, with Walmart up 1.3 percent and Target gaining 3.3 percent. Alphabet climbed 3.5 percent at the open. Healthcare was the casualty, as CVS Health sank 12 percent and UnitedHealthcare fell 2.9 percent. Oil also eased, with Brent crude dropping 3.20 dollars, or 3.09 percent, to 100.40 dollars a barrel.

Not everyone sees pure upside. Analyst Dan Ives estimated that about 10 percent of planned datacenters will no longer happen under the new political balance, a reminder that the AI boom depends on policy. Markets now face the real test of how a Democratic Congress and a veto-minded president will actually govern.