Incumbent leaders used to have the edge. In the United States, the power of the Oval Office and glamour of Air Force One once made presidents the prohibitive favorites to win reelection.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq powered to fresh records Thursday after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates, extending a buoyant post-election rally.

More than 40 monkeys were on the loose Thursday in a small US town after escaping a research facility, with authorities warning residents to keep their doors and windows closed.