The US stock markets presented a mixed picture on Monday, with the Dow closing at 42,762 points, a slight decrease of around one point compared to the previous trading day. The broader S&P 500 index, meanwhile, rose by 0.1 percent, reaching approximately 6,005 points, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index gained 0.2 percent, closing at around 21,798 points.
Market sentiment was influenced by hopes of a breakthrough in the US-China trade talks, which were taking place in London. Although a deal on so-called “rare earth” minerals has yet to be reached, US government officials remained optimistic.
Apple, the technology giant, was in the spotlight on Monday, as it unveiled its largest design update for its operating systems since 2013, as well as several new features incorporating artificial intelligence. Despite the hype surrounding AI, the technology did not take center stage and skeptics who believe Apple lags behind its competitors in this area may not have been swayed by the announcements.
The euro was stronger against the US dollar on Monday evening, with one euro equivalent to 1.1424 US dollars and one dollar worth 0.8754 euros.
Gold prices also rose, with one ounce selling for 3,327 US dollars, a 0.5 percent increase, which translates to 93.63 euros per gram.
Oil prices, meanwhile, climbed, with a barrel of Brent crude selling for 67.02 US dollars, a 55-cent or 0.8 percent increase from the previous day’s close.