Market Performance - The S&P 500 index reached a historical high, closing at 6466.59 points, up by 0.32% supported by strong industrial and financial stocks [2] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed the market, closing at 44922.27 points, up by 1.04%, driven by strong earnings from blue-chip stocks and renewed optimism about infrastructure spending [3] - The Russell 2000 index saw a significant rise of 1.98%, ending at 2328.06 points, benefiting from a rebound in cyclical sectors and better-than-expected regional bank earnings [5] Volatility and Yield - The VIX index decreased to 14.49, indicating the lowest market volatility in nearly a month, reflecting stable investor confidence amid interest rate cut expectations [6] - The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.24%, as traders anticipated a higher likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, boosting bond demand [6] Commodity Prices - WTI crude oil prices dropped to $62.65 per barrel, marking a second consecutive day of decline due to signs of slowing global demand and increasing U.S. inventories [7] - Gold futures rose to $3408.30 per ounce, supported by declining U.S. Treasury yields and a weaker dollar, which bolstered safe-haven demand [8] European Market - European stock markets saw gains, with the FTSE 100 up by 0.19% to 9165.23 points, DAX up by 0.67% to 24185.59 points, and CAC 40 up by 0.66% to 7804.97 points, driven by improved investor sentiment ahead of key U.S. economic data [9] Top Stock Movers - Kohl's stock surged by 9.55% after reporting quarterly sales that exceeded expectations and raising its full-year guidance [10] - Nektar Therapeutics rose by 9.49% following positive updates on its cancer treatment pipeline [11] - Peloton's stock increased by 7.02% due to optimistic user growth and progress in cost-cutting measures [12] - Robinhood's stock fell by 4.86% due to declining trading volumes and warnings from analysts about slowing retail investor activity [13] - General Electric's stock decreased by 3.74% despite beating earnings expectations, as it provided cautious forward guidance [14] - Oracle's stock dropped by 3.58% amid concerns over slowing cloud revenue growth after a downgrade from brokers [15]