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The midterm wave – What is next?

Trump has lost both the House and Senate. For market watchers, two Republican precedents deserve attention:

1954 and 2006.

That takes us back 72 years and 20 years.

In 1954, Eisenhower’s Republicans lost both chambers. The economy was recovering from recession, and US equities delivered a total return of approximately 31.6% in 1955.

In 2006, George W. Bush’s Republicans also lost both chambers. Stocks continued higher into 2007 before the financial crisis unfolded.

The same political outcome. Very different economic trajectories.

There is also a 144-year echo with 1882, when Republican President Chester Arthur’s party lost the House. However, Republicans retained Senate control—a significant difference from 2026.

These are historical timing relationships worth investigating. Establishing a predictive cycle requires more than matching anniversaries.

The broader four-year presidential cycle adds another dimension: since 1950, the S&P 500 has been higher 12 months after every midterm election through 2022.

Could that tendency support markets into 2027, even as longer-term risks build?

The 2006 precedent reminds us that a post-midterm rally and a subsequent major reversal can belong to the same sequence.

This is why I examine time cycles alongside seasonality, positioning and price behaviour in The Market Timing Report.

The question now: are we closer to a 1954-style recovery or a 2006-style late-cycle expansion?

Author

Andrew Pancholi

Andrew Pancholi

Market Timing Report

Andrew Pancholi is a world-renowned trading expert specializing in market timing.

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