04:50 PM EST, 01/26/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite rose for a fourth straight session on Monday, ahead of a busy earnings calendar and the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision later this week.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% to 6,950.2, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.4% to settle at 23,601.4. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.6% higher at 49,412.4. Most sectors ended in the green, led by communication services, while consumer discretionary saw the biggest drop.

Tech giants Apple ( AAPL ) , Microsoft ( MSFT ) , Meta Platforms ( META ) and Tesla (TSLA) are scheduled to release their latest quarterly financial results later in the week. Other major companies reporting this week include UnitedHealth ( UNH ) , Visa (V), Mastercard ( MA ) , Caterpillar ( CAT ) , Boeing ( BA ) , AT&T ( T ) , Starbucks ( SBUX ) , Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) , and Chevron ( CVX ) .

"We expect that traders and investors will be judging results and any guidance given this week, especially considering the broadening of the rallies seen over the course of the last year, as well as the multiple expansion that's taken valuations higher on a number of companies and not just among tech and tech-related names," Oppenheimer Asset Management Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus said in a note to clients.

"Earnings season is off to a strong start," Stoltzfus said, noting that the initial batch of reports from 62 companies showed earnings growth of 17.5% year over year as revenue rose 7.7%.

Apple ( AAPL ) shares gained 3%, the second-top gainer on the Dow, while Meta rose 2.1%. Microsoft ( MSFT ) added 0.9%.

US Treasury yields were mixed, with the 10-year rate last down 1.7 basis points at 4.22% and the two-year rate little changed at 3.60%.

Markets widely expect the Fed to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged later in the week, following the three straight 25-basis-point cuts delivered last year, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

"The market reaction is likely to focus on the (Federal Open Market Committee) statement language changes and communication from (Fed Chair Jerome Powell) and any potential guidance on the timing and magnitude of future rate cuts," Macquarie said in a note to clients Monday. "Our base case remains that the Fed will remain on hold in coming months, with no additional cuts on the horizon."

Precious metals continued to shine amid mounting geopolitical concerns and policy uncertainty.

Gold prices topped $5,100 per troy ounce earlier in the day, and futures were last up 1.2% at $5,040.90. Silver gained 4.3% at $105.70, having previously crossed the $115 level for the first time ever on Monday.

The precious metals' rally highlights "sustained demand for hedges against policy uncertainty, fiscal dominance concerns, and rising questions around the Fed independence," Rystad Energy said in a note e-mailed to MT Newswires on Monday.

In company news, Nvidia ( NVDA ) invested $2 billion in CoreWeave ( CRWV ) , boosting its shareholding in the artificial intelligence cloud computing firm as they agreed to expand their partnership to meet rising demand for AI infrastructure. CoreWeave ( CRWV ) shares jumped 5.7%, while Nvidia ( NVDA ) fell 0.6%.

USA Rare Earth ( USAR ) shares surged 7.9% as the critical minerals producer disclosed $3.1 billion in total funding, including a proposed investment worth $1.6 billion by the federal government.

Trade Desk ( TTD ) shares tumbled 7.5%, the worst performer on the S&P 500, as the company appointed an interim chief financial officer and reaffirmed its fourth-quarter revenue guidance.

Booz Allen Hamilton ( BAH ) shares tumbled 8.1% after the US Treasury Department said it has canceled all contracts with the technology and management consulting company due to its alleged failure to safeguard confidential taxpayers' information.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was last down 0.4% at $60.83 a barrel.