Wall Street closed broadly higher on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, with all four major indexes finishing in the green and small caps stealing the show. The Russell 2000 led the charge with a gain of 1.22%, closing at 2,508.13 — a sign that risk appetite extended well beyond the large-cap universe.
The S&P 500 added 0.56% to settle at 6,574.77, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.64% to 46,121.59. The Nasdaq kept pace, rising 0.66% to 21,337.87, buoyed in part by Amazon's standout 2.16% advance to $211.71 — the day's top performer among large caps.
Gold continued its relentless climb, with the precious metal closing at $4,545.89, underscoring persistent demand for hard assets even as equities rallied. The simultaneous strength in both stocks and gold suggests markets are navigating a complex macro backdrop where investors are hedging while still reaching for growth.
The session's tone was broadly constructive, with breadth favoring advancers and small-cap outperformance hinting that the rally may have legs beyond the usual mega-cap suspects. UnitedHealth was the notable laggard among large caps, edging down 0.64% to $270.55 amid sector-specific headwinds.