The events of the past 10 days - which have seen stocks, currencies, and commodities fluctuate in response to changes in the US presidential race - drive this message home: elections can matter for financial markets, even if in some cases the effects are only temporary.

China's commodity futures markets are again surging, but this time the frenzy is not purely speculative.

After spending $2 billion on big new projects in Australia and the US, investors in fertilizer to explosives group Incitec Pivot may have to wait a little longer to benefit, with the focus for now on reducing debt. At the same time, the group is cool towards the uptick being seen in commodity prices, 

An overnight rally in the dollar took the currency close to a three-month high but faded during the local session.

Shares in takeover target UGL continued to hold out of reach of the bidder for the company, the Spanish-controlled CIMIC, despite the board's capitulation Monday, when it told shareholders they should accept the offer.

A shift towards fiscal policy, maturation in the technology industry and bank balance sheets are just some reasons why investors shouldn't be in the dumps.