04:21 PM EDT, 04/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes closed higher on Monday as the latest tariff updates improved investor sentiment.

The Nasdaq Composite increased 0.6% to 16,831.48, while the S&P 500 rose 0.8% to 5,405.97. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.8% to 40,524.79. All sectors except consumer discretionary were higher, with real estate and utilities posting the highest gains.

US Treasury yields were lower, with the 10-year rate dropping about 11.6 basis points to 4.4% and the two-year rate was down 12.6 basis points to 3.9%.

May West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased 0.2% to $61.63 a barrel on Monday.

President Donald Trump said Monday he is looking to "help some of the car companies" as they need some time to move production to the US, CNBC reported. General Motors ( GM ) shares rose 3.4%, while Ford Motor ( F ) gained 4%. Stellantis ( STLA ) was up 5.9%.

In economic news, US consumers' one-year inflation expectations rose in March, while the five-year outlook ticked down, a survey by the New York Federal Reserve showed. Their inflation outlook at the medium-term horizon was unchanged last month, according to the survey.

While inflationary headwinds from higher tariffs are likely to be temporary, their effects on employment and output could be "longer-lasting," Fed Governor Christopher Waller said. "If the slowdown is significant and even threatens a recession, then I would expect to favor cutting the (Federal Open Market Committee's) policy rate sooner, and to a greater extent than I had previously thought."

In company news, Charles River Laboratories International ( CRL ) was the top performer on the S&P 500, with shares up 6.9%. TD Cowen reduced the price target on the company's stock to $105 from $179, while BofA Securities adjusted the price target to $150 from $185.

Palantir Technologies ( PLTR ) was up 4.6%. The company's deal with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization represents an additional boost with artificial intelligence initiatives gaining momentum across both US and European governments, Wedbush Securities said. Analysts, including Daniel Ives, said the company's "unique" software will help it capitalize on the growing demand for AI.

Valneva (VALN) shares jumped 12% after it said Monday Brazil's Health Regulatory Agency has granted marketing authorization for its single-dose vaccine IXCHIQ for individuals 18 years and above to prevent disease caused by the chikungunya virus.

DaVita ( DVA ) shares were down 3%, the steepest decline on the S&P 500. The company said that some of its operations were affected by a ransomware incident that occurred on Saturday.

Gold decreased 0.6% to $3,226.90 per troy ounce, while silver was up 1.4% to $32.35 per troy ounce.

MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.