U.S. stocks end at two-month highs as trade concerns wane

U.S. stocks closed solidly higher on Monday, with industrial stocks leading the market higher as concerns over a potential trade war with China showed signs of fading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.2% to 25,013. The S&P 500 gained 0.7% to 2,733. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 0.5% to 7,394. Both the Dow and the S&P closed at their highest level in about two months. The Russell 2000 index of small capitalization stocks rose 0.5%, ending at a record for a fourth straight day. The mood was upbeat after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said over the weekend that the Trump administration would delay implementation of tariffs on Chinese goods and "put the trade war on hold" while working out details of a deal between the countries. Industrial stocks are seen as having some of the highest exposure to trade issues, and the sector led the market's gains on Monday. Boeing Co. rose 3.6% while Caterpillar Inc. added 2.1%.