US indices in July post best monthly performance since November 2020

ANKARA

Major indices in the US stock market closed higher on Friday to finish the month of July on a higher note and posted their best monthly performance since November 2020.

At Friday's close, the blue-chip Dow was up 315 points, or 0.97% to finish the day at 32,845. The S&P 500 rose 57 points, or 1.42%, to close at 4,130.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq increased 228 points, or 1.88%, to end the day at 12,390.

For the month of July, the Dow rose 6.7%, while the S&P jumped 9.1% and the Nasdaq soared nearly 12.4%.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, fell 4.5% to 21.33. The 10-year US Treasury yield decreased 1.2% to 2.649%.

The dollar index was down 0.5% to 105.83. The euro was up 0.3% to $1.0227 against the dollar.

Precious metals reversed course with gold adding 0.5% to $1,765 and silver rising 1.7% to $20.35.

Oil prices were up around 2%, giving up some of their earlier gains.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude was at $103.83 per barrel for a 2% gain, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was at $98.44 -- up 2.1%.