U.S. stocks experienced gains on Monday, with both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones climbing approximately 0.3%, while the Nasdaq edged up by 0.1%. The sectors leading these gains included utilities, materials, and financials, whereas consumer discretionary stocks trailed behind. Investors are preparing for a busy week, which will feature a series of corporate earnings reports, the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision, and speculations regarding the potential announcement of a new Fed Chair as soon as this week. Additionally, markets are factoring in the political risks associated with a potential government shutdown. Apple stood out by advancing 1.6% ahead of its quarterly earnings and following an upward price target revision by JPMorgan. Meanwhile, Microsoft remained relatively stable, Meta saw shares increase by roughly 1%, and Tesla declined by 2% as anticipation built around the release of their respective earnings. Nvidia also saw a 0.4% rise subsequent to its announcement of an additional $2 billion investment in CoreWeave Inc. In the realm of smaller-cap and niche stocks, USA Rare Earth notably surged over 21% following the Department of Commerce's decision to acquire an equity stake in the company.