What are today's top business/market headlines?
Today's Top Business/Market Headlines — November 5, 2026
Markets rally after midterm elections
Wall Street surged Wednesday following a decisive Democratic sweep of Congress. US stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 rising 1.6%, the Dow gaining 1,569 points to a two-month high and the Nasdaq advancing 0.9%. Democratic gains in Congress, alongside opposition to the war in Iran, extended this week's oil price slump, helping drive post-election gains in stocks and bonds, as expectations that political gridlock could limit further fiscal expansion eased pressure on bond markets.
Credit-sensitive stocks led the rally, with financials advancing — JPMorgan up 4.2% and Berkshire Hathaway gaining 3.9%. Apple shares rose 6%, reaching an all-time high of $354.33, pushing the company's market capitalization above $5.12 trillion, as it stands to benefit from the Democratic win via slowing data-center construction and easing memory-chip price pressure.
Asia follows Wall Street higher, but chip stocks under pressure
Asian stocks advanced Thursday, tracking gains in US equities after the Democratic sweep sent oil plunging on speculation the Iran conflict will end sooner, pushing the MSCI Asia Pacific Index up 0.3%. However, South Korea was the outlier, with the Kospi Index dropping 2.7%, reflecting investor concerns over the future of data-center development and losses in US chip stocks.
Earnings movers
Corporate shakeups
CVS Health announced plans to split itself up, with the stock falling on news of a major breakup involving spinning off its drugstore business.
What's ahead today
Market participants now await Thursday's earnings releases from companies including ConocoPhillips, Kimberly-Clark and Airbnb. On the data front, Friday brings the closely watched jobs report — the Nonfarm Payrolls Report for October, along with Average Hourly Earnings and the Unemployment Rate.
Big-picture strategist view
Looking further out, Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management, expects a "really, really volatile environment" through 2027 as markets digest the political shift alongside ongoing questions about AI-related spending and returns.
Citations (14)
- United States Stock Market Index - Quote - Chart - Historical Data - News | Trading Economics
Source excerpt: “US stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 rising 1.6%, the Dow gaining 1,569 points to a two-month high and the Nasdaq advancing ...”
- United States Stock Market Index - Quote - Chart - Historical Data - News | Trading Economics
Source excerpt: “Democratic gains in Congress, alongside opposition to the war in Iran, extended this week’s oil price slump, helping drive post-election gains in stoc...”
- United States Stock Market Index - Quote - Chart - Historical Data - News | Trading Economics
Source excerpt: “Credit-sensitive stocks led the rally. Financials advanced, with JPMorgan up 4.2% and Berkshire Hathaway gaining 3.9%. ”
- Stock market news for Nov. 4, 2026
Source excerpt: “... Apple shares rose 6%, reaching an all-time high of $354.33 on Wednesday, pushing the company's market capitalization above $5.12 trillion. The iPh...”
- Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for November 5 - Bloomberg
Source excerpt: “Send a tip to our reporters · Site feedback: Take our Survey · By Thomas Kutty Abraham · November 4, 2026 at 10:15 PM UTCUpdated on · November 5, 2026...”
- Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for November 5 - Bloomberg
Source excerpt: “South Korea was the outlier, with the Kospi Index dropping 2.7%, reflecti”
- Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for November 5 - Bloomberg
Source excerpt: “South Korea was the outlier, with the Kospi Index dropping 2.7%, reflecting investor concerns over the future of data-center development and losses in...”
- United States Stock Market Index - Quote - Chart - Historical Data - News | Trading Economics
Source excerpt: “Investors also assessed the latest corporate earnings, with AppLovin jumping more than 20% in after-hours trading following stronger-than-expected qua...”
- Stock Markets, Business News, Financials, Earnings - CNBC
Source excerpt: “Trump quickly making peace · 4 Hours AgoSnap shares fall over 10% on third-quarter revenue miss · 4 Hours AgoVoters rebuke Trump’s war and tariffs in ...”
- Business News
Source excerpt: “Here's why a breakup could make sense now · Annika Kim Constantino4 hours ago · New Flutter CEO bets on FanDuel promotions to win customers as pr...”
- Business News
Source excerpt: “Beauty posts 51% sales increase, raises full-year guidance · Laya Neelakandan2 hours ago · CVS Health plans to split itself up. Here's why a brea...”
- United States Stock Market Index - Quote - Chart - Historical Data - News | Trading Economics
Source excerpt: “Market participants now await Thursday's earnings releases from companies including ConocoPhillips, Kimberly-Clark and Airbnb. ”
- Stock market next week: Outlook for Nov. 2-6, 2026
Source excerpt: “Productivity preliminary (Q3) Earnings: Simon Property Group , Devon Energy , Lumentum Holdings , Axon Enterprise , Akamai Technologies , Wynn Resorts...”
- Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for November 5 - Bloomberg
Source excerpt: “Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management, expects a “really, really volatile environment” through 2027 as she examines what c...”