U.S. equities posted solid gains Monday as investors embraced a risk-on sentiment across major benchmarks. The S&P 500 climbed 1.02% to close at 6,717, while the Nasdaq outpaced with a 1.12% advance to 22,334. The Dow Jones gained 0.83% to reach 47,058, and small-caps participated in the rally with the Russell 2000 up 0.94% to 2,499.
Technology stocks led the charge, with ARM Holdings posting the day's strongest performance among major names, surging 5.14% to $121.70 on renewed AI chip optimism. The semiconductor sector benefited from growing confidence in artificial intelligence infrastructure spending and ARM's positioning in next-generation processors.
Despite the broad rally, some individual names faced pressure. CrowdStrike declined 4.06% to $423.84 as investors weighed competitive dynamics in cybersecurity. The VIX settled at 23.8, suggesting some underlying caution remains despite the positive session. Gold held near record territory at $4,922, while WTI crude traded around $81.25 per barrel.