Federal Bureau of Investigation clears Hillary Clinton two days ahead of elections

FBI Director James Comey shook up the race and slowed Clinton’s momentum with an October 28 announcement the agency was reviewing newly discovered emails perhaps related to her email practices.

Still, Trump continued to seize on the email issue, despite the FBI’s finding.

Clinton’s campaign, furious at Comey’s handling of the review, welcomed Sunday’s announcement.

“You have one magnificent chance to beat the corrupt system and deliver justice”, Trump said. “Don’t let it slip away”, Obama said in New Hampshire.

Sunday, 48 hours before Election Day, Comey sent another letter to key leaders in Congress – this one making clear that no charges would be brought against Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.

“We will never have another opportunity”, the insurgent Republican candidate told his followers, urging them to turn out the vote: “Good luck!”

“We were always confident nothing would change in Director Comey’s recommendation (not to prosecute) would change”, tweeted Clinton’s campaign director.

The statement provoked outrage from Clinton and other Democrats who said it needlessly placed her under suspicion when the Federal Bureau of Investigation didn’t even know if the emails were relevant.

“But our analysis is that (FBI Director James B.) Comey’s letter raising doubts that were groundless, baseless, proven to be, stopped our momentum”, she said.

Trump, who had been trailing badly in the polls when the new emails were revealed, has since narrowed the gap, leaning on a message that Clinton was “crooked” and likely to be charged.

Early-rising voters in nine states mainly along the East Coast got first crack at a pivotal election that has a nervous world watching closely after a campaign like no other.

At least 41 million Americans across 48 states have already cast ballots four days before Election Day, according to an Associated Press analysis. “We are only hours away from a once-in-a-lifetime change”, he said. “We’re very encouraged and we’re feeling very positive”.

Hillary Clinton’s top advisers blame FBI Director James Comey for the Democrat’s bruising loss to President-elect Donald Trump.

The bottom line: Comey’s conclusion from an earlier investigation stands.

Financial markets, betting exchanges and online trading platforms largely predicted a Clinton win, although Trump’s team says he can pull off an upset victory like the June “Brexit” vote to pull Britain out of the European Union. “I want to see everything honest”.

He said the vote Americans will cast Tuesday will be the greatest one they ever cast in their lifetimes. “We are on a good track”.

Trump was aggressive to the end, repeatedly slamming Clinton at his first event of the day in Sarasota, Florida. In fact, there are signs that strong Hispanic turnout could provide a big boost to Clinton.

Clinton’s comfortable lead had eroded since late last month and investors had been unnerved by the tightening race, preferring what is seen as a known quantity in Clinton, over the political wild card, Trump.

“Our failed political establishment has delivered nothing”, Trump told supporters at a fairgrounds arena in North Carolina, a state he needs to carry today. It was a round-the-clock schedule that included a major rally in Philadelphia with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, along with rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.

Democrat Hillary Clinton brought out the “big guns” Monday night, as the most caustic, exhausting and, at times, surreal USA presidential campaign in modern political history headed toward its climax.

Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell said Clinton was “the clear market-favourite” but added: “Of course, this was basically the situation for the Remain camp pre-referendum”. But, if I were them – or lots of down-ballot Democrats – I would be livid.

“We’re going to be ruled by the people, folks”.

Trump has been praised in recent days for avoiding the kind of insults and outbursts that had alienated voters in the past. The New York businessman says the government has betrayed American workers with “open borders” immigration policies and trade deals he claims have shipped USA industrial jobs overseas.

After a referral from the intelligence community inspector general, the FBI began investigating Clinton for the potential mishandling of classified information as secretary of state. Clinton was extending a decisive lead in the polls, and the question seemed to be how big her margin of victory would be.

Promising to end “years of betrayal”, tear up free trade deals, seal the border, halt the drug trade and subject Syrian refugees to “extreme vetting”, Trump told his supporters: “I am with you and I will fight for you and we will win”. On Monday, he’ll go to Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.

“The miners are going to come out”.

Mr Trump said he wanted to tap America’s unrealised potential.