Wall Street soared after Maduro's capture and reached new all-time highs

United States financial markets closed Monday with strong gains, driven by investor optimism after the United States military operation that culminated in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

The news fueled expectations of a political and economic shift in Venezuela, opening the door to greater participation by United States companies in the country with the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average led the gains and reached a record high, briefly surpassing the 49,000-point threshold for the first time. The index rose 1.23% and closed at 48,977.18 points, after hitting an intraday high of 49,209.

The S&P 500 advanced 0.64% to 6,902.05 points, while the Nasdaq gained 0.69% and ended at 23,395.82. The session was marked by high trading volume, with 19.1 billion shares exchanged, well above the recent average.

The energy sector was the main driver of the rebound. Investors bet that the fall of Maduro's leadership will allow sanctions to be eased and will facilitate access for United States companies to the Venezuelan oil industry.

The S&P 500 energy index rose 2.7%, its highest level since March 2025. Chevron, the only major United States oil company that still maintained operations in Venezuela, surged by nearly 8%, while ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips advanced more than 2%.

The momentum was reinforced by statements from President Donald Trump, who stated that his administration plans to allow major United States oil companies to invest billions of dollars to rebuild Venezuela's oil infrastructure.

Trump assured that the process will have no cost for United States taxpayers and that oil revenues will finance the political transition. White House officials confirmed that meetings will be held this week with industry executives to discuss an increase in production.

Financial stocks also posted strong gains, benefiting from renewed risk appetite and expectations of solid corporate earnings.

The S&P 500 financial index rose 2.2%, with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase advancing more than 3% and setting new record highs. Analysts pointed out that investors are rotating into banks and financial firms, seeking opportunities beyond the technology sector.

The rally extended to the defense sector, amid a more active geopolitical scenario after the capture of Maduro and his wife, who appeared Monday before a federal court in New York on charges that include narcoterrorism conspiracy. Shares of Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics rose by nearly 3%, while the S&P 500 aerospace and defense index reached a record.

In the technology sphere, Tesla rebounded 3.1% after seven consecutive losing sessions. In contrast, Apple fell 1.4% and Nvidia dropped 0.4%. Cryptocurrency-related stocks advanced strongly, in line with bitcoin's rise to a more than three-week high. Coinbase surged 7.8% after an upgrade from Goldman Sachs, and Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, gained nearly 5%.

In commodity markets, Brent crude rose around 1.3% and stood at around 61 dollars per barrel, with volatility amid doubts about how quickly Venezuela will be able to increase its exports even if sanctions are eased. Analysts warned that, despite the initial enthusiasm, the full recovery of production could take years due to the deterioration of infrastructure.

Gold also advanced strongly, rising by nearly 2.9% to 4,457.90 dollars an ounce, while some investors sought a hedge against possible international tensions. Silver posted a gain of more than 7%, surpassing 75 dollars.