Dow Jones surpasses 44,000 for first time since mid-December

US stock indices rose during the first trading session of the week, as Treasury yields declined. President Donald Trump's inaugural speech did not reference a trade emergency, which increased uncertainty regarding the impact of his trade policies on inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by 1.25%, or 537 points, to 44,025 points, exceeding 44,000 points for the first time since Dec. 11, 2024.

The S&P 500 jumped about 52 points, or 0.9%, to 6,049 points, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 126 points, or 0.65%, to end at 19,756 points.

As for the European indices, STOXX Europe 600 rose 0.4% to 525.9 points, with gains limited by declines in the mining, energy, automotive, and technology sectors.

Germany’s DAX Index rose 0.25% to an all-time high at 21,042 points, while the British FTSE gained 0.35% to reach a record close at 8,548 points. The French CAC 40 inched up 0.5% to 7,770 points.

Japan’s Nikkei index added 0.3% to 39,027 points, while the broader Topix index increased by 0.1% to 2,713 points.

In the oil market, futures prices for standard Brent crude for March delivery eased by 1%, or $0.86, to $79.29 per barrel.

Futures prices for US Nymex crude for February delivery dropped 2.55%, or $1.99, at $75.89 a barrel.

As for gold, the prices of gold futures contracts for February delivery rose by 0.4%, or $10.5, to $2,759.20 per ounce, the highest level since Nov. 5, 2024.