New York: US stocks ended with gains Wednesday as the Dow Jones index set a milestone, closing above 45,000 for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308.51 points, or 0.69%, finishing at 45,014.04. According to Anadolu Agency, the S and P 500 added 36.61 points, or 0.61%, to reach 6,086.49. The Nasdaq increased 254.21 points, or 1.3%, to end at 19,735.12. The VIX volatility index, often referred to as the "fear index," experienced a rise of 1.13% to 13.45, indicating a slight increase in market volatility. In the commodities market, precious metals were in the green, with gold adding 0.23% to $2,674.40 per ounce and silver rising 0.85% to $31.30 as of 2200GMT. Conversely, oil prices saw a decline of approximately 1.67%, with the global benchmark Brent crude priced at $72.30 a barrel.