Stock futures rose slightly Tuesday ahead of a high-stakes U.S. presidential election. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 17 points, or less than 0.1%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively. The latest poll from NBC News suggests the race is “neck and neck” between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Close attention also remains on which party dominates Congress, given that a sweep by Republicans or Democrats could contribute to drastic spending changes or a big revamp of tax policy. The results could have a significant effect on where stocks end the year, but investors may want to brace for some near-term choppiness. CNBC data going back to 1980 suggests the major averages gain between Election Day and the end of the year, but typically fall in the session and week after. Uncertainty over the results could lead to even more shakiness in the market. “The setup is still skewed to the positive and the bull cases is still intact, unless we get a new policy from a new political regime that looks like it’s going to be more austere,” Trivariate Research founder Adam Parker said Monday on CNBC’s “Closing Bell.” Beyond the election, investors await the Federal Reserve’s November rate decision due Thursday and fresh commentary from Chair Jerome Powell on the central bank’s policy moves going forward. Traders are pricing in 98% odds of a quarter-point cut following September’s half-point reduction, according to CME Group’s FedWatch Tool. On the earnings front, Palantir popped 12% in the premarket on strong quarterly results and upbeat revenue guidance, while NXP Semiconductors fell 5% on a soft outlook due to macro concerns. Stocks finished lower in Monday’s session as safe-haven U.S. Treasury yields declined. The Dow slumped more than 250 points, or 0.6%. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite fell about 0.3% each. U.S. Treasury yields were little changed on Tuesday as investors readied themselves for the presidential election. Shortly after 7 a.m. ET, the 10-year Treasury yield was up by less than 1 basis point at 4.313%. The yield on the 2-year Treasury was also up less than 1 basis points lower at 4.181%. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Tuesday as investors prepared for the U.S. presidential election and a possible interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve later this week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.11% to close at 38,474.9, while the Topix gained 0.76% to close at 2,664.26. South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.47 to close at 2,576.88%, while the Kosdaq slipped 0.3% to 751.81%. The country’s consumer inflation in October rose 1.3% from a year ago, slightly cooler than Reuters’ expectations of 1.4%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was up 1.8% as of its last hour of trade. Mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 2.53% to close 4,044.57. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slid 0.4% to close at 8,131.8. The Reserve Bank of Australia held its cash rate steady at 4.35% for the eighth meeting in a row, in line with Reuters’ expectations. Oil prices traded in a narrow range on Tuesday ahead of what is expected to be an exceptionally close U.S. presidential election, after rising more than 2% in the previous session as OPEC+ delayed plans to hike production in December. Brent crude futures ticked up 31 cents, or 0.4%, to $75.39 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $71.76 a barrel, up 29 cents, or 0.4%. Gold prices held steady on Tuesday as market participants braced for the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, with opinion polls suggesting a neck-and-neck race between Democrat candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. Spot gold was little changed at $2,739.79 an ounce by 1231 GMT, having hit a record high of $2,790.15 last week. U.S. gold futures edged up 0.1% to $2,749.20. The precious metal should rise if Harris wins, given her policies supporting low interest rates, but a sudden dollar spike could reduce gold’s value if Trump wins, said Exinity Group chief market analyst Han Tan. Gold should ultimately reach $2,800 “once the dust settles” after the election, he added. Bullion, traditionally seen as a hedge against economic and political risk, has gained 33% this year.