Uncertain outcome of US Senate mid-term elections keeps markets on edge

New York

A HANDFUL of toss-up US Senate races this week could hold the key to whether the stock market glides through the year-end in a typical post-mid-term election rally or gets hit with a fresh bout of volatility.

US investors appear less concerned with whether Republicans take control of the Senate, as expected, or Democrats hang on to their majority by a slim margin. They just want to know - come Wednesday morning - the actual outcome.

"If we have a really uncertain situation, where the Senate is divided and candidates are threatening recounts, that's really not good," said Robbert van Batenburg, di…