Trump, Clinton blast each other on character; Clinton rises in poll

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Many national polls have shown Clinton's lead over Trump narrowing since the re-emergence on October 28 of a controversy over her use of a private email while secretary of state.

But the latest Reuters/Ipsos daily tracking poll released on November 2 showed Clinton's lead over Trump rising back up to 6 percentage points, the same advantage she held before the FBI announcement related to her email practices.

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton greets voters outside of an early voting site in Lauderhill, Florida. (Photo: Reuters)

Signs of a tightening race have rattled financial markets as investors started to factor in the possibility that the New York businessman might pull off a victory on Nov. 8.

World stocks, the dollar and oil fell on November 2, while safe-haven assets such as gold and the Swiss franc rose. Clinton has been regarded as the candidate who would maintain the status quo, an important factor to financial markets, which generally do not like uncertainty.

Campaigning in Pensacola, Florida, Trump predicted he would win, telling supporters at the outdoor rally, "It's feeling like it already, isn't it?

Trump argued that Clinton was unqualified to lead the country, calling her "totally unhinged."

Speaking to supporters in Las Vegas, Clinton blamed Trump for pitting Americans against one another, citing his rhetoric on groups like Muslims and Mexican-Americans. Trump, she said, is "out of his depth," and she called his proposals on foreign policy issues "incredibly dangerous."

"He doesn't have a clue," Clinton said.

Investor anxiety has deepened in recent days over a possible Trump victory given uncertainty about his stance on issues including foreign policy, trade relations and immigrants.

Trump, who has never previously run for elected office, has run an unorthodox campaign, with policy proposals including reviewing trade pacts such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and imposing a temporary ban on Muslims seeking to enter the country.

Currency traders have sold the dollar this week in part because they suspect Trump would prefer a weaker dollar given his protectionist stance on international trade, and in part because the uncertainty surrounding a Trump win might lead to a more dovish stance from the Federal Reserve in the months ahead, instead of the interest rate hike that many expect by year-end. A rise in U.S. interest rates would make the dollar, and dollar-denominated assets, more attractive to investors.

A Reuters equity market poll last month showed a majority of forecasters predicted that U.S. stocks would perform better under a Clinton presidency than a Trump administration.

An average of polls compiled by the RealClearPolitics website showed Clinton just 1.7 percent ahead of Trump nationally on November 2, with 47 percent support to his 45.3 percent.