US stocks surge during opening trade, Nasdaq hit record high

Major US equity indices opened sharply higher on Monday as investors welcomed Emmanuel Macron's win in the first round of the French Presidential election. Macron's victory eased fears of Euro-skeptic only run-off and sparked a global risk-on rally across riskier-assets - like equities. 

Meanwhile, renewed optimism over the US President Donald Trump's pro-growth policies further boosted investors’ sentiment and collaborated to the bullish sentiment surrounding the US equity markets. On Friday Trump said that he would have a "big announcement" on tax reforms on Wednesday and hence, investors keenly await to hear more on the promised "massive tax cut" for individuals and businesses.

Investors also seem to have shrugged off escalating tensions with N. Korea, with sentiment buoyed by encouraging first-quarter earnings season so far. 

During opening hour of trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained over 200-points and jumped to 20,760, while the broader S&P 500 Index added nearly 25-points to 2,373. Meanwhile, tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index surged around 70-points to touch an intraday record high near 5,980 level.