03:42 PM EDT, 03/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes were on track to close higher Friday on the possibility that the government can avoid a looming shutdown.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.5% to 41,403.6, while the Nasdaq Composite increased 2.3% to 17,703.3. The S&P 500 was up 1.9% to 5,623.9. All sectors were higher with technology and energy posting the highest gains.

Ulta Beauty ( ULTA ) was the top gainer on the S&P 500 with shares up nearly 14%. Although the beauty retailer's full-year guidance missed Wall Street's estimates late Thursday, it showed potential for positive earnings revisions in the coming quarters, UBS said.

Crown Castle ( CCI ) was up 10%. The company has agreed to sell its small cells and fiber solutions businesses for a combined $8.5 billion to separate buyers after a strategic review.

Abbott Laboratories ( ABT ) shares were down 2.8% after a state appeals judge in Missouri ordered a retrial in a civil lawsuit related to its formula milk.

The 10-year US Treasury yield gained 3.8 basis points to 4.3%, while the two-year rate was up 6.8 basis points to 4.02%.

April West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 1% at $67.23 a barrel.

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