US close: Stocks higher, S&P 500 nears all-time high
Wall Street stocks closed higher on Wednesday as the S&P 500 fell just short of registering a fresh all-time high.
At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.30% at 37,656.52, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.14% at 4,781.58 and the Nasdaq Composite saw out the session 0.16% weaker at 15,099.18.
The Dow closed 111.19 points higher on Wednesday, extending gains recorded in the previous session, while the S&P 500 rose closer to record levels.
All three major indices were on track to register a ninth consecutive winning week, underscoring the market's late 2023 rally.
As far as Wednesday's headlines went, US mortgage applications dropped 1.5% in the week ended 15 December, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, halting a six-week run of increases. Applications to refinance a home dropped by 2% month-on-month, but remained 18% higher year-on-year, while applications to purchase a home dropped 1%.
Last week's fall comes despite benchmark Treasury yields continuing to decline following dovish signals sent by policymakers at the Federal Reserve.
Elsewhere, the Richmond Federal Reserve manufacturing index dropped to -11 in December, down from -5 in November and the lowest reading in ten months. However, December saw an increase in average growth rates for prices paid and prices received, along with a slight rise in expected price changes over the next 12 months.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
Dow Jones - Risers
Walmart Inc. (WMT) $157.88 0.94%
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $286.53 0.93%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $298.12 0.84%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $188.57 0.82%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $384.48 0.75%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $169.40 0.60%
American Express Co. (AXP) $187.06 0.59%
3M Co. (MMM) $108.72 0.58%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $294.55 0.58%
Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $522.84 0.53%
Dow Jones - Fallers
Nike Inc. (NKE) $107.13 -0.82%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $90.38 -0.63%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $37.29 -0.45%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $151.91 -0.33%
Boeing Co. (BA) $262.10 -0.26%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $348.53 -0.22%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $374.07 -0.16%
Visa Inc. (V) $258.93 -0.09%
Dowdupont Inc. (DWDP) $0.00 0.00%
Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $55.71 0.00%
S&P 500 - Risers
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $874.37 2.92%
Carmax Inc. (KMX) $78.00 2.39%
Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $5.30 1.92%
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) $581.51 1.90%
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) $146.07 1.85%
Jacobs Solutions Inc. (J) $130.16 1.54%
Westrock Company (WRK) $42.73 1.47%
Harley-Davidson Inc. (HOG) $37.14 1.39%
Kohls Corp. (KSS) $29.36 1.35%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $142.53 1.34%
S&P 500 - Fallers
Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) $29.09 -3.48%
Sl Green Realty Corp. (SLG) $46.68 -2.28%
Albemarle Corp. (ALB) $149.32 -2.01%
CME Group Inc. (CME) $210.51 -2.00%
Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) $149.91 -1.45%
Jack Henry & Associates Inc. (JKHY) $163.17 -1.44%
Travel + Leisure Co (TNL) $39.74 -1.41%
Helmerich & Payne Inc. (HP) $36.94 -1.34%
Sealed Air Corp. (SEE) $36.32 -1.28%
Alaska Air Group Inc. (ALK) $39.67 -1.22%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $874.37 2.92%
Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $5.30 1.92%
Tesla Inc (TSLA) $261.44 1.88%
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $97.88 1.47%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $142.53 1.34%
Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $141.84 1.31%
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $483.26 1.23%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $57.34 0.97%
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $286.53 0.93%
Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $1,590.88 0.90%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
NetEase Inc. Ads (NTES) $87.63 -4.96%
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $666.80 -1.16%
Alphabet Inc. Class C (GOOG) $141.44 -0.97%
Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) $23.00 -0.95%
Paychex Inc. (PAYX) $119.07 -0.92%
Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) $3,534.64 -0.90%
CSX Corp. (CSX) $34.65 -0.86%
American Airlines Group (AAL) $13.99 -0.85%
Alphabet Inc. Class A (GOOGL) $140.37 -0.81%
Hasbro Inc (HAS) $51.00 -0.78%