US stocks stocky, S&P 500 soars to record high

The S&P 500 set a new record on Thursday as Wall Street stocks powered higher, shrugging off geopolitical problems elsewhere and gaining from fresh signs of strength in the US economy. The S&P added 5.86 points (0.29 per cent) to hit 1,992.37, four points above the previous record on July 24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 60.36 (0.36 per cent) to 17,039.49, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 5.62 (0.12 per cent) to 4,532.10. The new high put the broad-based S&P 500 up 7.8 per cent for the year. The Nasdaq reached its best level in 14 years, meanwhile, and was 8.5 per cent above where it began the year, according to AFP.