U.S. Stocks Edge Higher Amid Middle East Watch

U.S. equities opened modestly higher on Monday as investors tracked developments in the Middle East, with all three major indexes posting early gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 13.2 points, or 0.03%, at the open, while the S&P 500 climbed 10.8 points, or 0.15%, and the Nasdaq Composite led with a 49.0-point gain, or 0.21%. The moves were measured rather than directional, reflecting cautious positioning rather than a clear risk-on shift. Geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East typically introduces volatility into energy markets and safe-haven assets, and equity traders appear to be threading carefully until the situation clarifies. The Nasdaq's relative outperformance at the open suggests technology names absorbed early buying interest. Whether the early gains hold will depend on how the geopolitical picture develops through the session and whether energy prices or Treasury yields respond to any new information.