Strong gains for tech stocks send Wall Street higher

Stocks marched higher on Monday, as Wall Street extended its gains from last week’s rally, the market’s best in three months.

The S&P 500 rose 1.6%, following up on strengthening in stock markets around the world. Big Tech stocks, including Apple and Microsoft, powered much of the gains. Their businesses have proven to be practically impervious to the pandemic, unlike companies that would benefit from a strengthening economy.

The market’s latest upward push came as Wall Street appeared to largely shrug off the latest signs that Democrats and Republicans are no closer to reaching a deal on more aid for the economy, which remains hobbled by the pandemic. Investors might be betting that Congress will deliver a more generous aid bill after the election, should Democrats regain the majority in Congress, as some polls suggest.

“The market is expressing some comfort with Democrats taking the White

House and the Senate, if it means that there will be more stimulus,” said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird. “But the reality is it’s several months away before anything could get passed. It does raise a question in my mind whether or not some of this is too much, too soon in terms of the market anticipating stimulus at this point.”

The S&P 500 rose 57.09 points (1.6%) to 3,534.22. The benchmark index is on a four-day winning streak and is within 1.4% of its all-time high set Sept. 2. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 250.62 (0.9%) to 28,837.52. The Nasdaq composite, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, gained 296.32

(2.6%) to 11,876.26. The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks picked up 11.51 (0.7%) to 1,649.05.