NEW YORK, New York - Wall Street closed firmly in positive territory on Monday, led by a surge in technology shares, as investors shook off recent volatility tied to the exploding situation in the Middle East, to kick off the trading week with broad-based gains.

The NASDAQ Composite was the session's standout performer, climbing 308.27 points, or 1.38 percent, to settle at 22,695.95 on heavy volume of 7.890 billion shares. The tech-heavy index benefited from renewed appetite for growth stocks amid easing concerns over interest rate pressures.

The Standard and Poor's 500 advanced 55.97 points, or 0.83 percent, to close at 6,795.99, with trading volume reaching 3.701 billion shares. The benchmark index moved within a range of 6,636.04 to 6,810.44 during the session, remaining comfortably above its 52-week low of 4,835.04 while approaching the upper end of its yearly range.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 239.25 points, or 0.50 percent, finishing at 47,740.80. The blue-chip index saw volume of 560.028 million shares as it traded between 46,615.52 and 47,876.06 on the day.

Market participants pointed to stabilizing inflation expectations and resilient corporate earnings as key drivers of the rally, which helped offset lingering concerns about global growth following last week's disruptions.

Trading volumes across North American exchanges remained healthy, suggesting broad participation in the day's advance. Analysts noted that the rally appeared driven by institutional buying rather than speculative retail activity.

"The market is showing remarkable resilience in the face of global uncertainty," said one strategist. "Today's price action suggests investors are looking past near-term volatility and focusing on the underlying strength of corporate balance sheets."

All three major US indices remain within striking distance of their 52-week highs, with the S&P 500's upper range at 7,002.28 and the Dow's peak at 50,512.79 serving as key resistance levels for traders to watch in the sessions ahead.

Profit-taking Hits U.S. Dollar as Aussie and Kiwi Surge in Monday Forex Trading

The U.S. dollar put in a weakeend performance against major counterparts on Monday, losing ground to commodity-linked currencies while holding steady against the yen and gaining modestly on the Swiss franc.

The Australian and New Zealand dollars were the standout performers, posting the largest gains of the session. The Australian dollar rose 0.71 percent against the US dollar, climbing to $0.7075. The New Zealand dollar followed closely, advancing 0.58 percent to trade at $0.5932.

The British pound also enjoyed a solid session, with GBPUSD adding 0.26 percent to reach $1.3439. The euro edged higher as well, with the shared currency gaining a modest 0.12 percent to trade at $1.1629.

The dollar posted modest gains against the Swiss franc, with USDCHF rising 0.32 percent to 0.7775 francs. Against the Canadian dollar, the greenback added 0.22 percent to C$1.3589.

In Asia, the US dollar slipped slightly against the Japanese yen, with USDJPY dipping 0.05 percent to 157.67 yen,

Currency markets showed heightened activity as investors continued to assess the global economic outlook following recent volatility in equity markets. Analysts noted that the strength in antipodean currencies suggested improving risk sentiment, while the dollar's mixed performance reflected ongoing uncertainty about the path of US monetary policy.

Global Equity Markets Tumble Monday as Broad-Based Sell-Off Intensifies

Global stock markets closed sharply lower on Monday, with investors digesting a confluence of economic concerns that triggered a wave of selling from Asia to Europe. Major indices across the board posted steep declines, with several benchmarks suffering their worst sessions in months.

Canadian Stocks an Exception

Canadian stocks posted gains, though at a more modest pace compared to U.S. markets. The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 105.60 points, or 0.32 percent, to close at 33,189.32 on volume of 407.898 million shares. The index was supported by strength in energy and financial names, which helped offset softer performances in other sectors.

Asian Markets Lead the Global Downturn
The selling pressure was most severe in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan's Nikkei 225 plummeted by 2,892.12 points, or 5.20 percent, to close at 52,728.72, marking a dramatic sell-off amid tech sector weakness. South Korea's KOSPI Composite Index suffered an even steeper percentage loss, tumbling 333.00 points, or 5.96 percent, to end at 5,251.87.

Taiwan's TWSE Capitalization Weighted Stock Index dropped a staggering 1,489.12 points, or 4.43 percent, settling at 32,110.42. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 252.00 points, or 2.85 percent, to 8,599.00, while the broader All Ordinaries Index declined by 261.50 points, or 2.88 percent, to close at 8,823.60.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index shed 348.83 points, or 1.35 percent, to finish at 25,408.46. Other notable decliners included New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50, which dropped 420.52 points, or 3.11 percent, to 13,098.83, and Indonesia's IDX Composite, which fell sharply by 248.32 points, or 3.27 percent, to 7,337.37. India's S&P BSE Sensex also retreated, losing 1,352.74 points, or 1.71 percent, to close at 77,566.16. Malaysia's FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI fell 43.89 points, or 2.55 percent, to 1,674.17.

Buckling the trend in Asia, the SSE Composite Index in Shanghai showed relative resilience, dipping only 27.59 points, or 0.67 percent, to 4,096.60 on volume of 2.471 billion shares.

UK and European Markets Follow Suit
The negative sentiment carried over into the European trading session, where major indices opened lower and stayed in the red throughout the day.

In London, the FTSE 100 declined by 35.23 points, or 0.34 percent, closing at 10,249.52. France's CAC 40 fell 78.13 points, or 0.98 percent, to end the session at 7,915.36. Germany's DAX P dropped 181.66 points, or 0.77 percent, to settle at 23,409.37.

The pan-European EURO STOXX 50 Index lost 34.70 points, or 0.61 percent, finishing at 5,685.20. The Euronext 100 Index slipped 6.08 points, or 0.35 percent, to 1,735.98, while Belgium's BEL 20 declined by 41.91 points, or 0.81 percent, to 5,153.04.

Mixed Results in Other Markets
While red dominated the board, there were a few bright spots. South Africa's Top 40 USD Net TRI Index managed to gain ground, adding 71.61 points, or 1.02 percent, to close at 7,085.10.

Elsewhere, Israel's TA-125 index fell 124.78 points, or 2.88 percent, to 4,204.76. In Egypt, the EGX 30 Price Return Index dropped 359.40 points, or 0.77 percent, to 46,414.80, on volume of 575.019 million.

(This report incorporates quotes retrieved with the assistance of artificial intelligence).

Related story:

Friday 6 March 2026 | Nasdaq Composite dives 361 points in stocks meltdown  | Big News Network.com