U.S. stocks drifted lower Monday ahead of a momentous week full of potential flashpoints in Washington, D.C., and around the world. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, though it remains near its record set last month.

While a path toward the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House remained in reach for both U.S. presidential candidates Tuesday, a rally in Dow futures and selloff in U.S. government debt indicated market participants were prepared for a victory by Republican Donald Trump.

Risk appetite returned with gluttonous abandon on Wednesday, as the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 3% to 18,983 and the small-cap Russell 2000 popped nearly 6%. The blue chip Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 3.6%, or 1,508 points to 43,729, while the broader S&P 500 rose 2.5% to 5,929.