U.S. equities posted solid gains Wednesday, with all major indices closing higher as investors digested a mixed bag of corporate earnings and economic data. The S&P 500 added 0.56% to close at 6,594, while the Dow Jones climbed 0.64% to 46,442. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.66% to finish at 21,867.
Small-cap stocks outperformed their large-cap peers, with the Russell 2000 jumping 1.22% to 2,528, suggesting renewed investor appetite for domestic growth stories. The VIX remained elevated at 26.1, indicating lingering uncertainty despite the positive market tone.
In commodities, gold continued its strong run, reaching $4,450 as investors maintained their hedge against potential economic volatility. WTI crude oil traded around $81.45, reflecting stable energy demand amid ongoing geopolitical considerations.
The semiconductor sector showed mixed results, with ARM Holdings leading gainers after strong earnings, while Micron faced headwinds from softening memory chip demand. Overall market breadth was positive, with advancing issues outnumbering decliners across major exchanges.