U.S. equity markets experienced a slight decline as they approached a significant week marked by key events and decisions, while oil prices gained and Treasury bond yields fell.

On Monday, the S&P 500 index dropped by 0.3%, despite a majority of its component stocks experiencing gains. Additionally, the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a decline of 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite also fell by 0.3%.

This week is particularly important as it includes Election Day in the United States, taking place on Tuesday, along with a Federal Reserve meeting regarding interest rates later in the week. Investors are also anticipating possible stimulus measures from the Chinese government, aimed at bolstering the world’s second-largest economy. Oil prices increased following a decision by oil-producing nations to postpone planned production hikes.

Specific figures from Monday’s market activities include:

The S&P 500 decreased by 16.11 points, or 0.3%, closing at 5,712.69.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 257.59 points, or 0.6%, finishing at 41,794.60.

The Nasdaq composite was down by 59.93 points, or 0.3%, to a total of 18,179.98.

Conversely, the Russell 2000 index, which tracks smaller companies, saw an uptick of 8.90 points, or 0.4%, reaching 2,219.03.

Looking at year-to-date performance:

The S&P 500 has climbed 942.86 points, representing a 19.8% increase.

The Dow has risen by 4,105.06 points, a gain of 10.9%.

The Nasdaq has seen an impressive upsurge of 3,168.63 points, or 21.1%.

Lastly, the Russell 2000 index has grown by 191.96 points, marking a growth of 9.5%.