Stock Market Today: Stocks, Stimulus Both Inch Forward
A fresh round of COVID-related stimulus remains in limbo, but stocks managed to put up modest gains in Tuesday's session.


The broader indices' pace slowed after yesterday's energetic rally, as Tuesday offered up little for the market to hang its hat on.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Fox News she doesn't believe a deal on more economic stimulus will be reached this week. That dulled the optimism sparked by earlier comments from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointing toward modest progress.
"Europe has agreed on a historic recovery fund, but U.S. stimulus is now at risk of fading. Wrangling over the size and makeup of a new U.S. fiscal package is intensifying as key benefits expire and states face huge budget shortfalls," BlackRock Investment Institute strategists write. "Congress still looks far from reaching a comprehensive deal but we could see a $1-1.5 trillion fiscal package that extends some federal stimulus measures through late-2020."
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
But the earnings calendar kept things interesting.
Video game maker Take-Two Interactive (TTWO, +5.9%) jumped after reporting that stay-at-home trends helped the company more than double its sales for its most recent quarter.
Energy giant BP (BP, +7.5%), meanwhile, cut its dividend in half – a move we recently warned investors about. But Wall Street celebrated the cash savings, as well as BP's new clean-energy strategy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a modest 0.6% gain to 26,828, the S&P 500 gained 0.4% to 3,306 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4% to a record 10,941. The small-cap Russell 2000 led the major indices with a 0.7% improvement to 1,517.
Get Ready for Election Volatility
One thing's for certain: Investors are beginning to confront the uncertainty that accompanies the 2020 elections, now just 91 days away.
"While predictable elections were nonevents, close elections historically have seen equities begin to go sideways starting in July; then rally strongly after a clear win, independent of who won," writes Deutsche Bank chief global strategist Binky Chadha in a recent note. "With a pandemic-induced, likely unprecedented volume of mail-in ballots, we see considerable risks to getting a quick and clear election resolution this time around, with the prospect that volatility endures post-election day."
That said, investors with a little risk tolerance who are looking to generate extra returns based on the election's outcome can begin laying the groundwork.
Market analysts expect several areas of the market to swing based on the Nov. 3 result, and we've explored both outcomes – 10 stocks that look attractive under another four years of the Donald Trump administration, and 10 stocks that would benefit from Joe Biden moving into the White House.
If the latter occurs, Biden would have a lot to live up to, from a Wall Street perspective; Trump and his predecessor, Barack Obama, rank among the best presidents as far as stock returns are concerned.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Kyle Woodley is the Editor-in-Chief of WealthUp, a site dedicated to improving the personal finances and financial literacy of people of all ages. He also writes the weekly The Weekend Tea newsletter, which covers both news and analysis about spending, saving, investing, the economy and more.
Kyle was previously the Senior Investing Editor for Kiplinger.com, and the Managing Editor for InvestorPlace.com before that. His work has appeared in several outlets, including Yahoo! Finance, MSN Money, Barchart, The Globe & Mail and the Nasdaq. He also has appeared as a guest on Fox Business Network and Money Radio, among other shows and podcasts, and he has been quoted in several outlets, including MarketWatch, Vice and Univision. He is a proud graduate of The Ohio State University, where he earned a BA in journalism.
You can check out his thoughts on the markets (and more) at @KyleWoodley.
-
Standard Deduction 2026 Amounts Are Here
Tax Breaks What is the standard deduction for your filing status in 2026?
-
New 2026 Tax Brackets Are Set: What to Know Now
Income Tax The IRS has adjusted federal income tax bracket ranges for the 2026 tax year to account for inflation. Here's what you need to know.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into Bank of America Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have Today
Bank of America stock has been a massive buy-and-hold bust.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into Oracle Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have Today
ORCL Oracle stock has been an outstanding buy-and-hold bet for decades.
-
How to Invest for Rising Data Integrity Risk
Amid a broad assault on venerable institutions, President Trump has targeted agencies responsible for data critical to markets. How should investors respond?
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into Sherwin-Williams Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have Today
Sherwin-Williams stock has clobbered the broader market by a wide margin for a long time.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into UnitedHealth Group Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have Today
UNH stock was a massive market beater for ages — until it wasn't.
-
What Tariffs Mean for Your Sector Exposure
New, higher and changing tariffs will ripple through the economy and into share prices for many quarters to come.
-
How to Invest for Fall Rate Cuts by the Fed
The probability the Fed cuts interest rates by 25 basis points in October is now greater than 90%.
-
Are Buffett and Berkshire About to Bail on Kraft Heinz Stock?
Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway own a lot of Kraft Heinz stock, so what happens when they decide to sell KHC?