Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.4%), Nasdaq Composite (+0.3%), and DJIA (+0.4%) opened the week to modest broad-based gains. 

Ten S&P 500 sectors trade higher, with several sectors posting solid early gains. 

The utilities sector (+1.3%) posts the widest gain so far, with electrical utilities companies trading higher amid a winter storm that has left widespread power outages.

The information technology sector (+1.0%) is up similarly, though unlike many sessions this year, semiconductor names are not doing the heavy lifting. The PHLX Semiconductor Index is flat. Meanwhile, Apple (AAPL 253.14, +5.10, +2.06%) and Microsoft (MSFT 469.84, +3.89, +0.83%) trade higher ahead of their earnings reports this week, while Oracle (ORCL 183.98, +6.82, +3.85%) reclaims a chunk of previous weakness. 

The materials sector (+0.8%) rounds out the top three gainers this morning, supported by another surge to fresh record precious metals prices amid lingering geopolitical tensions and the possibility of an ensuing government shutdown. 

Elsewhere, the consumer discretionary sector (-0.5%) is the only sector that holds a loss wider than 0.1%, with Tesla (TSLA 438.74, -10.32, -2.30%) providing weak leadership ahead of its earnings report later in the week.