Want a Hot Stock Tip? Watch Trump’s State of the Union Speech

Clues on trade policy are likely to be top of mind for stocks investors watching President Trump’s State of the Union speech Tuesday. Trade remarks may influence equity sectors from footwear to auto parts, while pharma stocks may be volatile if the president zeros in on drug costs reforms, and financials and housing may be overlooked.

Trump is expected to reference a few areas “where both parties can agree” -- including prescription drug prices and infrastructure plans -- “but it is difficult to imagine the rhetoric turning into reality when Washington has struggled to keep the lights on,” Compass Point’s Isaac Boltansky tells Bloomberg. Boltansky expects the speech to focus on “economic growth, immigration, a few bipartisan mirages and the wall.” Still, this year’s speech may mean less for investors than it has in prior years, as the State of the Union has become “more pomp than policy,” he said.