U.S. equity markets closed with gains on Monday, supported by advances in Technology, Financials and Industrials. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.63% to reach a new 1-month high at the close, the S&P 500 increased 1.02%, and the NASDAQ Composite finished up 1.23%.
Key index movers
Within the Dow, Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM) was the session's top performer, rising 4.76% or 7.86 points to end at 172.82. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) added 3.63% or 13.46 points to close at 384.33. Financials also contributed, with American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) gaining 3.29% or 10.32 points to finish at 323.82.
On the downside for the Dow, Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) fell 1.89% or 17.17 points to 890.63 at the close. Retail heavyweight Walmart Inc (NASDAQ:WMT) declined 1.74% or 2.20 points to 124.57, and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) slipped 1.43% or 0.66 points to 45.38.
S&P 500 and Nasdaq standouts
Among S&P 500 names, Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) led gains, jumping 12.69% to 155.62. Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE:FICO) rose 8.52% to settle at 1,000.91, and Cadence Design Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CDNS) gained 8.51% to close at 288.27.
The weakest S&P 500 performers included Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST), which declined 6.83% to 45.81, Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG), which lost 4.45% to settle at 14.51, and Edison International (NYSE:EIX), which fell 4.40% to close at 72.39.
On the NASDAQ Composite, the session's top percentage movers were largely smaller-cap and speculative names. Huachen AI Parking Management Technology Holding Co Ltd (NASDAQ:HCAI) surged 3,642.86% to 7.86, Real Messenger Corp (NASDAQ:RMSG) climbed 475.08% to 2.70, and Akanda Corp (NASDAQ:AKAN) advanced 404.79% to 3.16.
Heavier declines on the NASDAQ included Replimune Group Inc (NASDAQ:REPL), down 64.39% to 1.70; Aimei Health Technology Co Ltd (NASDAQ:AFJK), off 31.05% to 40.40; and Scworx Corp (NASDAQ:WORX), which fell 30.94% to 1.06.
Market breadth and notable lows
Advancers outnumbered decliners across both major exchanges. On the New York Stock Exchange, rising stocks totaled 1,953 versus 779 decliners, with 80 issues unchanged. On the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2,338 rose, 1,042 fell, and 180 closed unchanged.
Several individual issues hit multi-year or all-time lows in the session. Shares of Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG) dropped to 5-year lows, falling 4.45% or 0.68 to 14.51. Replimune Group Inc (NASDAQ:REPL) fell to all-time lows, losing 64.39% or 3.07 to 1.70. Scworx Corp (NASDAQ:WORX) declined to 5-year lows, down 30.94% or 0.47 to 1.06.
Volatility, commodities and currencies
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures implied volatility of S&P 500 options, declined 0.52% to 19.13, marking a new 1-month low.
In commodities, Gold Futures for June delivery were down 0.51% or 24.39 to $4,763.01 a troy ounce. Crude oil for delivery in May rose 1.38% or 1.33 to $97.90 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract gained 3.04% or 2.89 to trade at $98.09 a barrel.
In currency markets, EUR/USD was unchanged 0.33% to 1.18, and USD/JPY rose 0.09% to 159.44. The US Dollar Index Futures declined 0.24% to 98.20.
What this means
Monday's session closed with broad-based gains led by technology and financial names while select small-cap and speculative stocks produced extreme percentage moves in both directions. Volatility as measured by the VIX eased to a one-month low, and energy prices moved higher on the day. Market breadth favored advancers on both the NYSE and Nasdaq.