Global equities steadied on Monday all three major US indices ended the day higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.20%, Nasdaq added 0.40%, and Dow Jones 69 pts advanced, led by strong performances from AI-related names such as Nvidia, AMD, and Micron. Electronic Arts surged 4.50% on news of a $55 billion take-private deal, highlighting robust M&A momentum that has already topped $1 trillion this year. Still, uncertainty lingers around the potential US government shutdown, which may delay Friday’s nonfarm payrolls and complicate the Fed’s rate-cut path.

European stocks followed suit, with the STOXX 600 gaining 0.40% and STOXX 50 (0.30%) also higher. AstraZeneca gained on plans for a direct NYSE listing, GSK rose after appointing a new CEO, and Lufthansa edged higher as it set ambitious free cash flow and margin targets.

Locally, the FTSE/ JSE All Share Index climbed 0.80% to a fresh record above 107 500, supported by a broad-based rally in gold miners as bullion prices benefitted from a softer dollar. Sibanye, Harmony, and AngloGold were among the top gainers, while Boxer jumped on double-digit turnover growth.

In Asia, the Hang Seng rebounded 1.90% to 26 322 as sentiment improved on signals of stronger Chinese policy support and expectations for rate and RRR cuts later this year. Regulatory efforts to curb aggressive price wars further lifted market confidence.

Meanwhile, oil prices slid sharply, with WTI crude down more than 3% to $63.40 per barrel. Exports from Iraq’s Kurdistan region resumed after a two-and-a-half-year halt, and expectations of an OPEC+ output hike reinforced oversupply concerns.