Midterm elections could boost or hinder energy, tech stocks

As Americans prepare for Tuesday's midterm elections to determine which party controls Congress, investors are expecting the races to significantly impact the stock market.

With polls showing a strong lead by Republicans in Congressional races and a dead heat in many Senate races, some traders are preparing for a GOP win. If not, political gridlock caused by a split government is also generally seen as favorable to investors who want their equities to be unaffected by major policy moves.

With the S&P 500 declining nearly 21% in the past year, investors appear to bet on...