Election 2008: Why Poor Presidential Approval Ratings Make For Great Stock Markets

No question, President George Bush’s approval ratings have pulled an “Enron.” A recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted June 12-16 showed only 29% of the public gave Bush a favorable rating. It’s the least favorable approval rating for a U.S. president since Jimmy Carter’s approval rating dropped to just 22%. While that lousy view of the job Bush is doing will help set up a more-contentious election in November, here’s a curious fact that investors will find quite rewarding: The key to better stock-market returns isn’t having a president we “love” - it’s having a president that we don’t quite hate. Let me explain. According to a…