Monday was one of those days when commodity markets decided to remind everyone they still exist. U.S. natural gas prices extended what can only be described as a historic moonshot, jumping more than 30% as Winter Storm Fern wreaked havoc across the country. The storm drove heating demand sharply higher while simultaneously disrupting supply, which is basically the perfect recipe for an energy trader's fever dream.
The Henry Hub front-month contract now trades above $6 per million British thermal units. Here's the wild part: just a week ago, prices were hovering near $3. That's roughly a 125% surge in four sessions, delivering the largest weekly percentage gain ever recorded for a Nymex front-month contract. Ever.
But natural gas wasn't the only commodity having a moment. Dollar weakness added fuel to a broader commodity breakout that had precious metals traders celebrating like it was 2008. Gold rose 2.2% to $5,100, which is impressive enough. But silver absolutely stole the show, surging 13% to $116 per ounce in what's shaping up to be its best one-day performance since September 2008. This latest jump is also lifting silver's rolling 12-month gain to 266%, the strongest annual performance since 1980.
The greenback remained under pressure as the Japanese yen strengthened sharply, with market speculators buzzing about potential currency intervention that may have occurred on Friday, possibly involving the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Whether that actually happened or not, the yen's move was real enough to keep the dollar on its back foot.
While commodities were stealing headlines, U.S. equities just kept doing their thing, grinding steadily higher. The S&P 500 (SPY) now sits less than half a percentage point below record highs, which is remarkable given everything else happening in markets.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 each gained 0.7% on the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5%. The Russell 2000 lagged behind, ending essentially flat with a minor 0.2% decline.
Technology stocks outperformed on Monday, with memory-linked names leading the charge. Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (STX), Western Digital Corp (WDC), and SanDisk Corp. (SNDK) all extended gains amid ongoing supply disruptions in the DRAM market. When supply gets tight, these stocks tend to get happy.
Not everyone in tech had a good day, though. Intel Corp (INTC) slid 5%, adding insult to injury after plunging 17% on Friday following disappointing guidance. Intel's rough patch continued as investors digested what the chipmaker's outlook means for its competitive position.
Mining stocks also pushed higher, riding the wave of rising metal prices. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) gained 4.6%, while Newmont Corp. (NEM) climbed 3.6%. When gold and silver are on the move, the companies that dig them out of the ground tend to follow.
