Markets post gains Monday

U.S. markets rose after a slow start Monday following a week in which the Dow Jones industrial average set multiple records for closing highs. The index wobbled out of the gate Monday following record closing highs set Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Investors apparently shrugged off fears of the sequester, the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts spelled out in the Budget Control Act of 2011. The spending cuts became law March 1. Since then, the DJIA has added 324.58 points or 2.3 percent. By close of trading trading Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average had another record closing high notched on its belt. The blue chip index added 50.22 points or 0.35 percent to 14,447.29. The Standard and Poor's 500 index gained 5.04 points or 0.32 percent to 1,556.22. The Nasdaq composite added 8.50 points or 0.26 percent to 3,252.87. On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,635 stocks advanced and 1,397 declined on a volume of 2.9 billion shares traded. The 10-year U.S. treasury bonds were off 5/32, yielding 2.064 percent. Against the dollar, the euro rose to $1.3043 from Friday's $1.2986. Against the yen, the dollar was higher at 96.28 yen from 95.98 yen. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.53 percent on a gain of 65.43 points, to 12,349.05. In London, the FTSE 100 index added 0.31 percent, 20.05 points, to 6,503.63.