Stock Markets May 11, 2026 04:31 PM

U.S. equities close higher as energy, materials and industrials lead gains

Dow edges up 0.19% while select large-cap names post double-digit moves; volatility ticks higher

By Priya Menon CAT HON CSCO NKE

U.S. stock indexes finished higher on Monday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 each gaining 0.19% and the Nasdaq Composite rising 0.10%. Strength in the Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Industrials sectors powered the market. Several individual names recorded large percentage moves, including multiple all-time highs and notable declines, while market breadth favored decliners on both major exchanges. Oil and gold prices rose and the CBOE Volatility Index increased.

U.S. equities close higher as energy, materials and industrials lead gains
CAT HON CSCO NKE

Key Points

  • Major U.S. indexes finished higher: Dow and S&P 500 up 0.19%, Nasdaq up 0.10%.
  • Energy, basic materials and industrials led gains while breadth showed more decliners than advancers on both exchanges.
  • Several stocks recorded extreme moves, including all-time highs for Corning and Qualcomm and sharp declines for several small-cap Nasdaq names.

U.S. equities ended the trading session in positive territory on Monday, driven by advances in the Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Industrials sectors.

At the New York Stock Exchange close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.19%. The S&P 500 also rose 0.19%, while the Nasdaq Composite ticked higher by 0.10%.

On the Dow, the session's strongest performers included Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), which finished up 3.27% - a gain of 29.35 points to 926.80. Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON) added 2.81% or 5.99 points to close at 219.11, and Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) climbed 2.23% or 2.15 points to finish at 98.72.

Conversely, several Dow components lagged. Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) declined 3.96% or 1.75 points to end the day at 42.39. Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) fell 3.06% or 3.31 points to 104.71, and International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) lost 2.70% or 6.21 points to close at 223.55.

Within the S&P 500, Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) led gains with a 10.94% rise to 207.39. Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) advanced 8.42% to settle at 237.53, and CF Industries Holdings Inc (NYSE:CF) increased 8.22% to close at 124.48.

The weakest S&P 500 performers included Coterra Energy Inc (NYSE:CTRA), which fell 8.62% to 32.56, Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG), down 7.64% to 104.63, and Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS), which declined 7.44% to 76.67 at the close.

On the Nasdaq Composite, the top percentage movers were dominated by smaller-cap and micro-cap names. Work Medical Technology Group Ltd (NASDAQ:WOK) surged 203.88% to 3.92, PomDoctor Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:POM) rose 97.47% to 0.15, and Creative Global Technology Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:CGTL) gained 50.00% to 1.65.

The largest declines on the Nasdaq were steep. Haoxi Health Technology Ltd (NASDAQ:HAO) plunged 93.84% to 0.05, Republic Power Group Ltd (NASDAQ:RPGL) slipped 45.48% to 0.46, and Smart Powerr Corp (NASDAQ:CREG) fell 38.28% to 0.18.

Market breadth favored declines at the close. On the NYSE, decliners outnumbered advancers by 1,668 to 1,083, with 70 issues unchanged. On the Nasdaq, 2,074 stocks fell while 1,335 advanced and 161 were unchanged.

Several individual stocks reached milestone price levels during the session. Shares of Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) and Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) rose to all-time highs, while Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) also moved to an all-time high. By contrast, shares of Zoetis Inc (NYSE:ZTS) and Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) fell to five-year lows. On the low end of the tape, Haoxi Health Technology Ltd (NASDAQ:HAO) and Smart Powerr Corp (NASDAQ:CREG) reached all-time lows.

Volatility, as measured by the CBOE Volatility Index, increased. The VIX was up 6.86% to 18.37.

Commodities saw upward moves. June Gold Futures were up 0.31% or 14.59 to $4,745.29 a troy ounce. In energy markets, June WTI crude oil rose 2.98% or 2.84 to $98.26 a barrel, while the July Brent contract increased 2.94% or 2.98 to trade at $104.27 a barrel.

In currency trading, the euro-dollar exchange rate was essentially unchanged, with EUR/USD up 0.03% to 1.18. USD/JPY appreciated 0.35% to 157.22. The US Dollar Index Futures inched higher by 0.04% to 97.82.


Summary of key market moves for the session:

  • Major U.S. indexes closed higher - Dow and S&P 500 both up 0.19%, Nasdaq up 0.10%.
  • Sector leadership came from Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Industrials.
  • Notable single-stock volatility with multiple all-time highs and multi-year lows recorded.

Risks

  • Market breadth showed more decliners than advancers on both the NYSE and Nasdaq, indicating uneven participation across stocks - this could weigh on broader indices.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index rose 6.86% to 18.37, signaling increased option-implied volatility which can add uncertainty for equity positions.
  • Substantial declines and all-time lows among certain small-cap and micro-cap names underscore liquidity and downside risk in lower-priced securities, particularly on the Nasdaq.

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