Donald Trump’s first 50 days send S&P 500 into turmoil, marking one of the worst market starts under any U.S. presidency in history

The Trump presidency has had a bumpy start on the stock market, with the S&P 500 dropping about 6.4% through the first 50 days since his inauguration, one of the poorest-performing market starts of any president since 1950, reported Yahoo Finance.

Only two other presidents, Richard Nixon and George W. Bush, had poorer starts than Donald Trump, as per the report. Nixon's initial 50 days recorded a decline of 7.2%, while Bush experienced an even greater 13.6% downturn after his election, reported Yahoo Finance.

While, the best 50-day starts were held by John F. Kennedy, with the market being up 9.4%, Barack Obama with 5.7%, and Bill Clinton with 4.2%, reported Yahoo Finance.

Historical Patterns

According to SunDial Capital Research strategist Jason Goepfert, rough starts are a "bad omen" for stocks as per his analysis of past experiences. On average, the market shows a median return of -1.9% six months after such a start, and after a year, it’s largely flat, reported Yahoo Finance. Only four of the 10 similar instances have had more gains than losses over the following year, as per Goepfert's analysis.

What’s Impacting the Market?

Goepfert said, "While it is generally foolhardy to assign political motives to stock movements, the correlation seems pretty clear in this case. The new administration's take on tariffs has not impressed the stock market, which overshadows what is perceived as a bevy of more business-friendly policies. Whether the tariffs will take effect in announced form is guesswork," quoted Yahoo Finance.

FAQs

Why is the stock market struggling under Trump?
The S&P 500 has dropped by 6.4% in the first 50 days, mainly due to concerns over tariffs and trade policies.

Has any president had a worse stock market start than Trump?
Yes, Richard Nixon and George W. Bush had worse starts with drops of 7.2% and 13.6%, respectively.