Trump-Biden election debate kick off amid investors' concerns on prolonged uncertainty following Trump's refusal to commit to election outcome

S&P 500 index futures lifted 0.6% during the debate as both candidates landed blows in early exchanges.

Here are analysts’ reactions:

Ayaki Sera, market strategist, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Tokyo

“Right now it looks like an even split between Trump and Biden, so it is difficult for the markets to move. What people are most concerned about is the fairness of the election and how it will be carried out.

“There is still a lot of uncertainty, so it is difficult to see a clear trend for the dollar/yen. Under normal circumstances, the positive economic data from China we’ve seen would support risk-off trades, but this time is different.”