Wall Street kicked off August on a decidedly bullish note Monday, with all major indices posting broad-based gains as investors returned from the weekend in a risk-on mood. The S&P 500 climbed 1.42% to close at 7,584.28, the Nasdaq led large-cap benchmarks with a 1.76% advance to 25,412.54, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.32% to settle at 52,787.33.
Small caps joined the party as well, with the Russell 2000 rising 1.72% to 2,950.35 — a sign that the rally had real breadth and wasn't confined to mega-cap tech names. Gold continued to shine as a parallel store of confidence, with the precious metal trading at $4,059.07, reflecting sustained demand even as equities surged.
The session's standout performer was Meta Platforms, which rocketed 6.02% to $590.24, providing a significant tailwind to the Nasdaq and underscoring ongoing enthusiasm for AI-driven advertising and platform growth. The gain alone added meaningful points to tech-heavy indices and set an upbeat tone for the week.
Apple was the notable laggard among megacaps, shedding 1.78% to $303.42 in a rare divergence from the market's upward momentum. While the decline was modest in the context of the broader rally, it bears watching as the company navigates a pivotal product and services cycle.