First Lady of the United States Melania Trump rang the opening bell Monday morning at the New York Stock Exchange.
The bell ceremony is an iconic tradition that spans well over a century.
Trump was in New York City, as her husband President Trump is set to deliver an address this week at the annual United Nations General Assembly.
"The last sitting first lady to be on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange was Laura Bush back in 2006," said Tim Anderson, Managing Director at TJM investments, who has been based on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange for six years. "It is a huge deal for the New York Stock Exchange to have someone of that stature visit the floor."
The Trump stock market
Mrs. Trump’s New York Stock Exchange appearance was especially notable as President Trump has repeatedly touted the success of the stock market under his administration. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) is up roughly 50% since the Nov. 8, 2016 election, rising from roughly 18,300 to just over 27,000 presently. President Trump has attributed the gains to his administration’s economic policies, which have included corporate tax cuts and broader deregulation measures. The stock market has been less welcoming of President Trump’s trade policies.
Just less than a month ago, President Trump tweeted about the aforementioned stock market gain since his election, saying:
“My Stock Market gains must be judged from the day after the Election, November 9, 2016, where the Market went up big after the win, and because of the win. Had my opponent won, CRASH!”
While President Trump did not join his wife in ringing the opening bell at the NYSE, he has been to the iconic exchange in the past. In 1995, President Trump made an appearance when Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts made its debut as a public company under the ticker DJT, which are also President Trump’s initials.
Scott Gamm is a reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @ScottGamm.
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