Stock Markets March 9, 2026

U.S. Equities Close Higher as Tech, Healthcare and Industrials Drive Gains

Major indexes finish the session in the green while select small-cap and energy-linked names show large swings

By Nina Shah CAT NVDA AMGN CSCO
U.S. Equities Close Higher as Tech, Healthcare and Industrials Drive Gains
CAT NVDA AMGN CSCO

U.S. stock indexes finished higher on Monday, led by advances in Technology, Healthcare and Industrials. The Dow rose 0.50%, the S&P 500 gained 0.83% and the NASDAQ Composite climbed 1.38%. Market breadth was mixed across exchanges, with notable single-day percentage moves among small-cap and specialty listings. Key commodity and currency benchmarks moved lower, and the CBOE Volatility Index fell sharply.

Key Points

  • Major indexes finished the session higher: Dow +0.50%, S&P 500 +0.83%, NASDAQ Composite +1.38%.
  • Technology, Healthcare and Industrials led gains, with notable Dow winners including CAT, NVDA and AMGN; several NASDAQ-listed small caps posted very large percentage moves.
  • Commodities and currencies moved lower: crude oil and Brent both declined, gold futures slipped, EUR/USD was essentially flat and USD/JPY edged lower.

U.S. equity markets closed higher on Monday, with strength concentrated in Technology, Healthcare and Industrials as investors pushed the major averages into positive territory.

At the New York close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.50%, the S&P 500 rose 0.83% and the NASDAQ Composite increased 1.38%.


Notable movers on the Dow

Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) led Dow gainers, climbing 3.51% - a rise of 23.92 points - to finish at 704.82. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) added 2.71%, or 4.82 points, ending the day at 182.64, while Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) rose 2.01%, or 7.44 points, to close at 376.97.

On the downside for the Dow, Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) slipped 3.09% or 2.43 points to 76.21 at the close. Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) fell 2.64% or 6.09 points to finish at 225.02, and International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) dropped 2.08% or 5.39 points to 253.46.


S&P 500 leaders and laggards

Within the S&P 500, Teradyne Inc (NASDAQ:TER) was a top performer, rising 8.57% to 296.44. Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) rose 6.85% to settle at 262.06, and KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) gained 6.33% to close at 1,429.67.

The weakest S&P names included Paramount Skydance Corp (NASDAQ:PSKY), which fell 6.67% to 11.19, Arthur J Gallagher & Co (NYSE:AJG), which lost 4.54% to settle at 217.78, and CF Industries Holdings Inc (NYSE:CF), down 4.12% to 111.01 at the close.


Extremes on the NASDAQ Composite

Several NASDAQ-listed companies posted very large percentage moves. Decoy Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:DCOY) surged 1,262.79% to 8.61, Aditx Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ADTX) jumped 645.27% to 3.47, and Garden Stage Ltd (NASDAQ:GSIW) gained 248.11% to close at 33.21.

Conversely, significant declines were recorded in some other NASDAQ names: E-Home Household Service Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:EJH) plunged 72.27% to 0.25, Innovation Beverage Group Ltd (NASDAQ:IBG) lost 40.14% to 3.31, and Powell Max Ltd (NASDAQ:PMAX) fell 34.10% to 0.81.


Market breadth and record moves

On the New York Stock Exchange, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,533 to 1,227, with 69 unchanged. The Nasdaq saw 1,764 stocks rise, 1,625 decline and 184 unchanged.

Several companies moved to new extremes during the session. Shares of E-Home Household Service Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:EJH) fell to all-time lows, down 72.27% or 0.65 to 0.25. Aditx Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ADTX) rose to all-time lows; up 645.27% or 3.00 to 3.47. Innovation Beverage Group Ltd (NASDAQ:IBG) fell to all-time lows, losing 40.14% or 2.22 to 3.31. Powell Max Ltd (NASDAQ:PMAX) also fell to all-time lows, down 34.10% or 0.42 to 0.81.


Volatility, commodities and currencies

The CBOE Volatility Index, a gauge of implied volatility for S&P 500 options, was lower by 13.53% at 25.50 at the close.

In commodities trading, Gold Futures for April delivery declined 0.23%, or 11.81, to $5,146.89 a troy ounce. Crude oil for April delivery fell 5.86%, or 5.33, to $85.57 a barrel, while the May Brent contract decreased 3.62%, or 3.36, to trade at $89.33 a barrel.

On the foreign exchange front, EUR/USD was essentially unchanged, moving 0.02% to 1.16. USD/JPY slipped 0.01% to 157.79, and the US Dollar Index Futures declined 0.14% to 98.84.


What to take away

Major U.S. indexes closed the session higher with Technology, Healthcare and Industrials among the leading sectors. While broad measures of volatility eased, individual names across the NASDAQ experienced extreme swings in both directions. Commodity and FX benchmarks also showed notable moves during the session.

Risks

  • Large single-day percentage moves among NASDAQ-listed small caps and specialty names signal elevated idiosyncratic volatility for those stocks - this affects small-cap and biotech sectors.
  • Significant declines in crude oil and Brent prices may create headwinds for energy-linked equities and related segments of the market.
  • Several companies moved to all-time lows during the session, indicating downside risk for shareholders in those specific issues and potential liquidity concerns.

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