U.S. Stocks Finish Higher as Dow Jones Sets New Record

U.S. equities closed higher on Monday, supported by gains in the Basic Materials, Industrials, and Consumer Goods sectors, which helped lift the broader market.

By the end of the session on the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.17%, reaching a new all-time high. The S&P 500 index advanced 0.16%, while the NASDAQ Composite added 0.26%.

Among the strongest performers in the Dow Jones Industrial Average was Walmart Inc, which rose 3.00%, or 3.44 points, to close at 117.97. International Business Machines gained 2.62%, adding 7.96 points to finish at 312.18, while Johnson & Johnson climbed 2.61%, or 5.33 points, to end the session at 209.72.

On the downside, American Express Company was the weakest performer in the index, falling 4.27%, or 16.02 points, to close at 359.59. Walt Disney Company declined 2.65%, losing 3.07 points to finish at 112.82, while Visa Inc Class A slipped 1.88%, or 6.57 points, to 343.20.

Within the S&P 500, the top gainers included Western Digital Corporation, which jumped 5.84% to 212.17, Seagate Technology PLC, which rose 5.75% to close at 321.48, and DexCom Inc, which advanced 5.31% to end the session at 70.98.

The weakest performers in the S&P 500 were Synchrony Financial, which dropped 8.36% to 79.63 in late trading, Capital One Financial Corporation, which fell 6.42% to settle at 233.20, and ON Semiconductor Corporation, which declined 5.49% to close at 58.75.

On the NASDAQ Composite, the strongest performers were Envirotech Vehicles Inc, which surged 442.00% to 2.51, Lulu’s Fashion Lounge Holdings Inc, which jumped 79.47% to finish at 12.15, and Biodesix Inc, which gained 48.35% to close at 8.10.

The session’s worst performers on the NASDAQ included Atara Biotherapeutics Inc, which plunged 56.99% to 5.88, Lyra Therapeutics Inc, which lost 45.21% to settle at 2.06, and Mingteng International Corp Inc, which fell 41.93% to close at 0.08.

Advancing stocks outpaced declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,588 shares rising, 1,141 falling, and 97 ending unchanged. On the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1,730 stocks advanced, 1,629 declined, and 165 finished flat.

Shares of Walmart Inc climbed to an all-time high, rising 3.00%, or 3.44 points, to 117.97. Meanwhile, shares of Lyra Therapeutics Inc fell to an all-time low, dropping 45.21%, or 1.70 points, to 2.06. Mingteng International Corp Inc also hit a record low, sliding 41.93%, or 0.06 points, to 0.08.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which tracks implied volatility in S&P 500 options, increased 4.35% to 15.12.

In commodities markets, gold futures for February delivery rose 2.29%, or 103.26, to $4,604.16 per troy ounce. Crude oil for March delivery climbed 1.19%, or 0.70, to $59.64 per barrel, while Brent crude for March gained 1.06%, or 0.67, to trade at $64.01 per barrel.

In currency trading, the euro was unchanged against the U.S. dollar at 1.17, while the U.S. dollar strengthened 0.17% against the Japanese yen to 158.16.

U.S. Dollar Index futures edged lower by 0.23% to 98.66.