Markets opened the new trading week on an indecisive note Monday, with the major indices painting a fragmented picture. The Dow Jones Industrial Average managed a modest gain of 0.33%, closing at 49,387.88, buoyed by strength in blue-chip financials. Meanwhile, the broader S&P 500 barely budged, slipping just 0.07% to settle at 7,393.89 — essentially flat on the session.
Technology weighed on sentiment, as the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.43% to close at 25,623.44. Small-caps fared the worst of the major benchmarks, with the Russell 2000 dropping 0.59% to 2,748.66, suggesting risk appetite remained muted to start the week.
Visa was the standout winner of the session, climbing 2.12% to $332.64 as investors showed a clear preference for established financial names with durable earnings. Tesla, by contrast, was the day's biggest drag among large-caps, falling 2.90% to $409.99 in a continuation of recent volatility around the EV giant.
Gold remained a focal point for macro watchers, holding elevated ground at $4,569.26 per ounce — a level that underscores persistent demand for hard assets amid lingering uncertainty about the economic outlook.