Wall Street Soars Amid U.S. Military Action and Surging Financial Stocks

Wall Street experienced significant gains on Monday, with the Dow Jones hitting an all-time high, driven by rising financial stocks and a U.S. military strike capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This action is anticipated to benefit U.S. energy firms and investors. Major financial and defense stocks also recorded impressive gains.

Wall Street climbed on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching an all-time high, fueled by gains in financial shares and a significant U.S. military maneuver resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Investors speculated that the move could open up Venezuela's vast oil reserves to American companies, although a U.S. embargo on Venezuelan oil remains in place, according to President Donald Trump.

The energy sector benefited, with the S&P 500 energy index peaking since March 2025. Key players like Exxon Mobil and Chevron saw respective rises of 2.4% and 5.8%. Defense stocks also surged post-military action, with Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics among the top gainers. The aerospace and defense index reached record highs.

Financial stocks showed notable improvement, as anticipation builds around upcoming quarterly earnings reports. The S&P 500 financials index rose 2.7%, with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase reaching new highs. Wall Street's optimism was underpinned by speculation on interest rate cuts, evidenced by the climb in cryptocurrency-linked stocks like Coinbase and Strategy.

(With inputs from agencies.)