U.S. Stocks Rally on First Trading Day of 2026; Fear and Greed Index Remains Neutral

The Dow Jones index rose over 300 points on its first trading day of 2026, while the CNN Money Fear and Greed index remained in the "Neutral" zone. Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed higher, with energy, industrials, and materials stocks recording the biggest gains. Consumer discretionary and communication services stocks bucked the trend, closing lower. The S&P 500 gained 0.19% to 6,858.47, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.03% at 23,235.63.