Global Markets Rally as Risk Appetite Strengthens

Global markets advanced broadly, with gains across major U.S., European, and Asian indices, alongside strong moves in commodities and cryptocurrencies. Investor sentiment showed renewed optimism, supported by risk-on positioning, falling volatility, and sector-wide strength.

Americas: Small-Caps and Tech Drive U.S. Gains

In the United States, equities posted notable gains.

• Russell 2000 surged 3.86% to 2,361.95, reflecting strong performance in small-cap stocks.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.89% to 45,631.74, while the S&P 500 advanced 1.52% to 6,466.91.

• The Nasdaq Composite added 1.88%, closing at 21,496.54, driven by renewed momentum in technology shares.

Volatility retreated sharply, with the VIX falling 14.34% to 14.22, signaling improved investor confidence.

In Latin America, Brazil’s IBOVESPA gained 2.57% to 137,968.16, supported by energy and financials. Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite rose 0.99% to 28,333.13.

Europe: Modest but Steady Progress

European equities advanced more moderately. The MSCI Europe Index increased 1.28%, with regional benchmarks following:

• Euro Stoxx 50 up 0.48% at 5,488.23

• CAC 40 in Paris adding 0.40%

• DAX in Frankfurt edging 0.29% higher

• FTSE 100 in London barely positive at 0.13%

Currency indices reflected a stronger euro and pound, with the Euro Index up 0.98% and the British Pound Index higher by 0.85%.

Asia: Mixed Moves with China Leading

Asian markets showed varied performance.

• China’s Shanghai Composite gained 1.45% to 3,825.76.

• Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 0.93% to 25,339.14.

• South Korea’s KOSPI added 0.86%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed nearly flat at +0.05%.

• Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.57%, and India’s Sensex fell 0.85%, diverging from the broader Asian uptrend.

Commodities: Precious Metals in Focus

Precious metals outperformed:

• Gold rose 1.09% to $3,418.50

• Silver climbed 2.56% to $39.05

Industrial commodities were mixed, with copper advancing 0.35% while natural gas slumped 4.53%. Crude oil hovered higher, with WTI at $63.66 and Brent at $66.77.

Currencies and Bonds: Dollar Weakens

The U.S. Dollar Index held flat at 97.73, but individual pairs moved notably.

• EUR/USD strengthened 0.98%

• USD/JPY declined 0.99%

• USD/AUD fell 1.08%, underscoring broad dollar weakness

Treasury yields eased: the 10-Year Bond yield fell 1.62% to 4.26%, while the 30-Year Bond declined 0.81% to 4.88%, signaling firm demand for government debt.

Sector Performance: Broad Strength

All major U.S. equity sectors gained, led by:

• Consumer Cyclical (+3.27%)

• Basic Materials (+2.28%)

• Financial Services (+1.89%)

• Technology (+1.68%)

Year-to-date, Basic Materials remain the strongest sector (+21.32%), followed by Communication Services (+18.27%) and Industrials (+15.18%).

Equities in Focus: Growth Stocks Shine

Among notable movers:

• Opendoor Technologies surged 39.17%, topping most-active lists.

• Tesla rose 6.22% to $340.01.

• Intel gained 5.53%, while Ubiquiti jumped 30.64%.

• Rivian, Lyft, and Upstart each posted gains above 7%.

Cryptocurrencies: Ethereum Leads Rally

Digital assets rallied strongly, led by Ethereum:

• Bitcoin rose 2.76% to $115,876.73, up 75% year-over-year.

• Ethereum advanced 10.90% to $4,739.63.

• Solana gained 11.58%, and XRP rose 6.16%.

• Stablecoins USDT and USDC remained anchored near parity.

Private Companies: AI Leaders Command Valuations

Valuations in the private sector highlighted the AI and tech boom:

• SpaceX at $470.7B

• OpenAI at $324.6B

• Anthropic at $177.8B (+440% YoY)

• xAI reaching $90.5B

Emerging firms like Figure AI posted dramatic valuation gains (+1,211%).

Outlook

Global markets entered the week on strong footing, supported by risk appetite, sector-wide gains, and robust cryptocurrency inflows. With volatility at multi-month lows and safe-haven assets like gold rising, investors appear positioned for continued near-term resilience.