Money has a funny way of moving before the ink even dries on a ballot. If you’re looking at the ticker tapes in early 2026, you've probably noticed that the "Trump Trade" isn't just a single direction anymore. It’s a messy, high-speed collision of deregulation, tariff threats, and massive government spending.
Honestly, the "what stock to buy after trump win" question is usually answered with a shrug and a mention of oil or banks. But that’s surface-level. To actually make money in this environment, you have to look at where the policy is hitting the pavement.
The Banking Boom and the End of the "Naughty Corner"
Banking used to be a slog of compliance and heavy capital requirements. Not anymore. Since the second term kicked off, we’ve seen a 37% drop in enforcement actions. Basically, the leash is off.
Big players like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC) aren't just sitting on cash; they’re being told they don't have to hold as much of it. When capital requirements drop, that money goes back into the system. It goes into loans. It goes into buybacks. JPMorgan has already seen a 27% return since the inauguration.
Then you’ve got the crypto angle. Coinbase (COIN) is basically the poster child for the new regulatory vibe. The administration has basically invited digital assets into the mainstream. It’s not just about Bitcoin's price; it's about the infrastructure. If the SEC stops suing every firm that touches a token, the valuation of the exchanges moves from "risky tech" to "essential financial utility."
Why Energy Dominance Isn't Just "Buy Oil"
Everyone says buy Exxon. Sure, ExxonMobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) are doing fine, especially with the administration eyeing Venezuela’s oil fields as a way to "rebuild" and redirect supply. But the real gains are hidden in the permitting process.
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We’re seeing a massive push for "energy dominance." This means speeding up permits for things like pipelines and nuclear reactors. Cameco (CCJ), the uranium giant, had a monster 2025 because Trump signed an executive order to overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. If you want to know what stock to buy after Trump win, look at the stuff that was stuck in red tape for a decade. Uranium is the new "clean" favorite of the GOP.
- Nuclear is back: Small modular reactors are the talk of D.C.
- Permitting reform: Companies that build infrastructure like Quanta Services (PWR) are reaping the rewards of faster approvals.
- Fossil Fuels: Drill, baby, drill is real, but global supply gluts might keep a lid on the actual price of crude. The producers might make less per barrel, but the services companies are busier than ever.
The $1.5 Trillion Defense Juggernaut
In early January 2026, Trump dropped a bombshell on Truth Social: he wants a $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027. That is a 50% jump from just a couple of years ago.
When a number that big gets thrown around, you don't look at the small fry. You look at the "National Champions." Stocks like Lockheed Martin (LMT) and Northrop Grumman (NOC) are basically becoming arms of the government. Lockheed shot up over 7% in a single day just on that post.
But there’s a catch. Trump has been vocal about buybacks. He wants these companies to build more, faster—not just juice their stock price. This means we might see a shift from "value" defense stocks to "growth" defense stocks. Companies like Palantir (PLTR), which handle the AI and data side of modern warfare, are the ones actually delivering the tech the administration is obsessed with.
Tariffs: The Great Disruptor
This is where things get tricky. Tariffs are the "termite" of the economy—they eat away at margins from the inside. If you’re holding retail stocks that rely on cheap Chinese imports, you’re likely feeling the sting.
However, "National Champions" are the hedge here. The administration is actually taking stakes in firms like Intel (INTC) and Lithium Americas (LAC) to shore up domestic manufacturing. It’s a sort of state-sponsored capitalism we haven't seen in a long time.
If you're trying to figure out what stock to buy after Trump win, you have to avoid the companies that can't pass costs to the consumer. Nucor (NUE) and other domestic steel producers love the tariffs. They have no competition from cheap foreign steel anymore. They’re the winners of the trade war.
The Surprising Winners in Europe
Kinda weird, right? But the FTSE 100 and Germany’s DAX actually outperformed the S&P 500 for a stretch in 2025.
Why? Because investors got scared of the volatility in the U.S. and looked for "cheap" alternatives. Europe was so beaten down that it became a value play. Plus, as the U.S. pushes NATO members to spend 5% of their GDP on defense, European defense contractors are suddenly swimming in contracts. If you aren't looking at the global ripple effects, you're missing half the story.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Portfolio
You can't just throw a dart at a board and hope for the best. The market in 2026 is moving on headlines and policy shifts. Here is how to actually position yourself:
- Audit your "Import" exposure: Check the 10-K filings of your holdings. If they source 80% of their components from overseas, they are at risk of a margin crush as inventory stockpiles from 2024 run dry.
- Focus on the "Permit" winners: Identify companies in the energy and infrastructure sectors that have been waiting on federal approvals. These are the "bottleneck" stocks that pop when the red tape is cut.
- Watch the $65 level on homebuilders: Macro moves, like the $200B mortgage bond purchase plan, can ignite sectors like homebuilding (Century Communities, for example). But watch for the "fade"—if these stocks drop below their breakout levels, the "Trump bump" might just be a liquidity grab.
- Diversify into Gold: Gold has soared 70% since the return to the White House. With the dollar fluctuating and inflation staying "sticky" due to tariffs, keeping 5-10% in miners or gold ETFs is the classic hedge that is actually working right now.
The "Trump win" trade isn't a one-and-done event. It's a multi-year restructuring of how the U.S. does business. The winners aren't just the "red" companies; they are the ones agile enough to thrive in a world of high tariffs and low regulation.