US stocks rise at close, Dow Jones adds 240 points

US indices rose at the close of March 4 session, supported by positive performance in the semiconductor sector, easing concerns over labor market weakness, and stable oil prices after Washington revealed its plan to secure energy supplies from the Middle East.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.49%, or 238 points, to 48,739 points.

The broader S&P 500 index gained 0.78%, or 52 points, to 6,869 points, while the Nasdaq Composite added 1.29%, or 290 points, to 22,807 points.

Positive performance by semiconductor companies supported the rebound on Wall Street, as shares of Micron Technology jumped 5.55% to $400.77, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) rose 5.82% to $202.07, Broadcom gained 1.18% to $317.53, and NVIDIA advanced 1.66% to $183.04.

In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 index increased 1.37% to 612 points at the close, amid positive performance across major bourses.

The UK’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.80% to 10,567 points, Germany’s DAX rose 1.74% to 24,205 points, and France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.79% to 8,167 points.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 closed 3.61% lower, at 54,245 points, the lowest since Feb. 6.

Meanwhile the broader Topix index shed 3.67% to 3,633 points.

In oil markets, Brent crude futures for May delivery remained stable at $81.40 per barrel after reaching its highest level since January 2025.

US Nymex crude futures for April delivery edged up 0.13%, or $0.10, to $7466 per barrel.

As for gold, futures for April delivery gained 0.21%, or $11, to $5,134.70 per ounce.

What Drove Markets?

Investor sentiment improved as the momentum in oil prices eased following the United States’ pledge to secure oil flows from the Middle East, alongside fading concerns over weakness in the US labor market after the private sector added more jobs than expected in February.