The uncertain future of the US debt ceiling.

Policymakers in Washington are racing to find a bipartisan deal to lift the Treasury's borrowing cap and prevent a government default. President Biden will host a meeting with congressional leaders on Tuesday to set the tone of the talks. Here are five potential outcomes of the high-stakes debate: a deal, a short-term punt, a discharge petition, Biden acts alone, or default. A default could lead to a stock market freefall, delays in federal benefit payments, and an increase in interest rates that would reverberate through the global economy.