S&P 500 starts 2021 at new all-time high near 3,770

• Wall Street's main indexes started the new week on a firm footing.
• S&P 500 Energy Index posts strong gains after the opening bell.

Major equity indexes in the US opened in the positive territory on the first trading day of 2021 but seems to be struggling to gather further bullish momentum.

As of writing, the S&P 500 Index, which touched a new record high of 3,769, was up 0.15% on the day at 3,761. The Nasdaq Composite was rising 0.15% at 12,907 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat at 30,600 after opening with a 0.15% gain.

Meanwhile, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), Wall Street's fear gauge, is up 2.45%, suggesting that risk flows are struggling to take control of the markets.

Among the major S&P 500 sectors, the Energy Index is 1.05% after the opening bell. On the other hand, the Consumer Staples Index is losing 0.42%.

S&P 500 chart (daily)