The Trump effect has rallied the US markets –but what next?

The new president should seize the chance to tackle issues such as investment, tax reform and job creation

Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election surprised most of the world. But the president-elect is not finished defying expectations. Contrary to the predictions of many experts, stock markets have rallied strongly since his victory, with the three major US indices reaching record highs while the dollar has soared. Explaining these unexpected responses could provide a glimpse of what the next few months have in store for markets.

Before the election, most analysts predicted that a Trump win would trigger a large stock-market selloff and a rush into low-risk government bonds. And, indeed, when the results began rolling in, that is what happened, beginning with Trump's dramatic victory in Florida and gaining traction as his lead in the electoral college grew. By the time that lead appeared insurmountable, the Dow Jones index of US stocks had fallen by 800 points, and the broader S&P 500 was "limit down". Moreover, the dollar began to slide, and a flight to quality in US Treasury markets caused bond yields to plummet.

Related: 10 economic consequences of Donald Trump's election win