US Markets End Higher Amid Buoyant Sentiment

US markets closed higher on Monday, buoyed by firm commodity prices and the US drug regulator's approval of a coronavirus vaccine. Technology stocks, energy stocks, and industrials were among the gainers, with Boeing, Chevron, Caterpillar, and Intel leading the charge. Existing home sales in the US saw a 2% month-on-month increase to 5.99 million in July, beating forecasts.

Key Takeaways:

The US markets ended higher on Monday, driven by gains in technology, energy, and industrials.
Firm commodity prices and the US drug regulator's approval of a coronavirus vaccine contributed to the positive sentiment.
Boeing, Chevron, Caterpillar, and Intel led the gains among technology and energy stocks.
Salesforce.com, Honeywell International, Nike, JP Morgan Chase, Walt Disney, American Express, and Amgen also ended notably higher.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 215.63 points or 0.61 percent to 35,335.71.
The Nasdaq rose 227.99 points or 1.55 percent to 14,942.65.
The S&P 500 was up by 37.86 points or 0.85 percent to 4,479.53.
Existing home sales in the US increased by 2% month-on-month to 5.99 million in July, beating forecasts for a rise to 5.83 million.
The Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole conference is expected to provide clues on possible asset purchase tapering timeline.

Statistics:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 35,335.71 (up 215.63 points or 0.61 percent)
Nasdaq: 14,942.65 (up 227.99 points or 1.55 percent)
S&P 500: 4,479.53 (up 37.86 points or 0.85 percent)
Existing home sales in the US: 5.99 million (up 2% month-on-month)
Forecast for existing home sales in the US: 5.83 million
Total points gained by the Dow Jones Industrial Average: 215.63
Total percentage gain of the Dow Jones Industrial Average: 0.61%

Sources:

Ramesh Kumar Global (no date mentioned in the original text)
Federal Reserve (no date mentioned in the original text)
National Association of Realtors (NAR) (no date mentioned in the original text)