Investing.com - U.S. stocks rose on Monday after military tensions in Ukraine, Gaza and Iraq subsided, allaying concerns that geopolitical events could threaten U.S. recovery.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow 30 rose 0.10%, the S&P 500 index rose 0.28%, while the NASDAQ Composite index rose 0.70%.
The Volatility S&P 500 index, which measures the outlook for market volatility, was down 10.15% at 14.17.
Stocks rose on relief buying on news that Russia has ended the military exercises it was conducting near the Ukraine border.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is working with the International Red Cross to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which also boosted stocks in thin trading.
Meanwhile in the Middle East, a 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took effect on Sunday, which also boosted stocks as concerns that geopolitical tensions will dampen global growth and possibly prompt the Federal Reserve to spend more time analyzing the economy before raising interest rates continued to wane.
A U.S. decision to launch airstrikes in Iraq to halt a Sunni insurgency drew applause as well, though caution set in, as tensions have ebbed in the recent conflicts only to flare up a new.
Traders also remained in standby mode ahead of the release of earnings out of the retail sector, with Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) and Macy's Inc (NYSE:M) due to report later this week.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), up 1.27%, Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), up 1.19%, and Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO), up 0.82%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), down 1.02%, American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), down 0.59%, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), down 0.41%.
European indices, meanwhile, ended the day higher.
After the close of European trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 rose 1.43%, France's CAC 40 rose 1.20%, while Germany's DAX rose 1.90%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 rose 1.00%.