Overview
- The Dow Jones traded around 49,051 for a first‑ever close above 49,000, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also higher to start the week.
- Oil majors and defense names led gains as WTI moved above $58 and Brent neared $62, with Chevron, Halliburton, Valero and ExxonMobil advancing after reports that U.S. forces removed and arrested Nicolás Maduro; President Donald Trump was quoted seeking total access to Venezuelan resources to rebuild the country.
- Copper hit a record near $13,000 per tonne after a 42% surge in 2025, supported by strong demand and supply strains that included a strike at Chile’s Mantoverde mine and trade flows shifting toward U.S. ports.
- Safe‑haven assets stayed elevated with gold around $4,400 an ounce and silver above $76, while government bonds weakened and the dollar firmed.
- European equities followed Wall Street higher, with the Stoxx 600 up and Frankfurt and Milan outperforming as defense names such as Leonardo and Fincantieri rose; analysts described the move as cautious optimism and flagged the potential for higher regional risk premia.