Dow posts best monthly gain since 1987 on continued vaccine optimism

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Dow posts best monthly gain since 1987 on continued vaccine optimism
Xinhua/Wang Ying/ Getty Images
  • US stocks declined on Monday. But the Dow Jones industrial average's 11.8% rise in November represented its best monthly gain since January 1987.
  • Investor optimism about a COVID-19 vaccine continued on Monday after Moderna said it would file for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine.
  • In November, Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca reported vaccine efficacy data well above the 50% threshold set by the FDA.
  • Watch major indexes update live here.
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The Dow Jones industrial average finished November on a down note on Monday, but the index still managed to notch its best monthly gain in nearly 34 years.

The Dow finished the month having climbed by 11.8%, ahead of April's strong 11.1% gain but below the 13.8% monthly gain in January 1987.

November's strong rally was mostly driven by continued optimism about a COVID-19 vaccine, as Moderna, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca reported efficacy rates that surpassed the Food and Drug Administration's threshold of 50%.

On Monday, Moderna said it would submit data from its phase-three trial to the FDA to be considered for an emergency use authorization. Investors remain optimistic that a successful COVID-19 vaccine will help jump-start a swift economic reopening in 2021.

Here's where US indexes stood at the 4 p.m. ET close on Monday:

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Read more: Buy these 10 stocks set to soar and smash Wall Street's expectations in the recovery from COVID-19, RBC says

Nikola plunged as much as 28% after it announced a revised deal with General Motors that failed to include an equity investment from GM and a commitment to develop and manufacture Nikola's Badger pickup truck. But JPMorgan defended Nikola and called the decline a good buying opportunity.

S&P Global said it would acquire IHS Markit in an all-stock deal worth $44 billion. IHS Markit traded up as much as 7% as investors cheered a merger of two data providers.

DoorDash and Airbnb remain on the path to go public by the end of this year, as they both seek increased valuation debuts in a surging stock market. A filing on Monday said DoorDash was aiming for a valuation of up to $27 billion, with proceeds of roughly $2.8 billion.

Read more: Cheap stocks just had their best month ever. A Wall Street expert breaks down why their outperformance is bound to continue over the next 4 to 5 years — and listed 2 bargain stocks to buy to capitalize on the trend.

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Pending home sales fell in the US for the second straight month as a continued surge in home prices dented housing markets' rally.

Oil prices fell. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped as much as 2.4%, to $44.42 per barrel. Brent crude, oil's international benchmark, declined 2.8%, to $46.85 per barrel, at intraday lows.

Gold declined as much as 1.3%, to $1,764.80 per ounce.

Read more: GOLDMAN SACHS: Buy these 16 stocks that are underestimated for now, but should crush expectations in 2021-22 on the way to at least 20% upside

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