US Markets
Stocks rise as tech and small caps lead the way
All four major U.S. indexes finish higher, with tech, energy, and small caps doing most of the heavy lifting.
U.S. stocks close green across the board. The S&P 500 gains 0.9% to 7509.2, the Nasdaq climbs 1.3% to 25837.2, the Dow adds 0.7% to 52224.6, and the Russell 2000 rises 1.5% to 2987.4.
Tech is the top sector, up 2.9%. Energy follows with a 1.0% gain, and Health rises 0.6%. On the other side, Staples falls 0.9%, Communication Services drops 0.7%, and Real Estate slips 0.1%.
The day’s path is steady rather than explosive. The S&P 500 starts lower, works higher through the session, then prints a late high before finishing just under that peak. It is a clean grind, not a straight line.
Options activity leans defensive. The SPY put-call ratio sits at 1.21, while QQQ posts a higher 1.67 put-call ratio, with put volume above call volume in both funds.