Markets kicked off the holiday-shortened trading week on a high note Monday, with all four major indices closing solidly in the green. The S&P 500 climbed 0.87% to settle at 7,520.31, clearing a psychologically significant level, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq led the charge with a 1.43% advance to 26,238.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.42% to close at 52,675.04, and the small-cap Russell 2000 gained 0.44% to 2,977.04, signaling broad participation across market caps.
Tesla was the undisputed star of the session, surging 6.69% to $419.77 and single-handedly lifting the Nasdaq and broader growth indices. The electric vehicle giant's outsized move drew significant volume and helped reinvigorate risk appetite across the technology sector after a quiet Fourth of July holiday weekend.
On the downside, UnitedHealth Group was the notable laggard among large caps, sliding 1.73% to $417.99. The managed care giant has faced a difficult stretch, and Monday's decline reflected continued investor wariness around the healthcare insurance space amid cost and regulatory headwinds.
Gold remained elevated at $4,172.86, underscoring that while equities rallied, demand for hard assets has not abated — a reminder that macro uncertainty still lingers beneath the surface of an otherwise confident market open to the week.