MONTREAL ― SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. shares shot up Tuesday after the Liberal election win left open the possibility of a plea deal on fraud and corruption charges against the engineering firm.

The beleaguered company’s shares were up than 14 per cent or $2.50 at $20.18 in mid-afternoon trading, buoyed by investor hopes that the Liberal refusal to close the door on a deferred prosecution agreement will play out to SNC-Lavalin’s advantage ahead of a criminal trial.

“It’s good for SNC,″ said Prof. Karl Moore of McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management said of the return of a Liberal federal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“I think the market sees it, not unreasonably, that they are in better shape than if the Conservatives had come in.″

Watch: SNC-Lavalin’s long and dirty history with corruption allegations. Story continues below.