NEW YORK: US stocks Wednesday rose to new records following a stream of mixed economic data on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average tacked on 24.53 (0.15 percent) at 16,097.33.
The broad-based S&P 500 rose 4.48 (0.25 percent) to 1,807.23, also reaching a new record. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index added 27.00 (0.67 percent) at 4,044.75.
The gains came after a stream of economic data ahead of Thanksgiving, for which US markets will be closed Thursday.
While data on durable goods disappointed, analysts pointed to solid reports on jobless claims and consumer confidence. Analysts said the data was strong enough to keep the bull market going on a day when volumes were low.
"By and large the economic numbers were okay and point to an economy picking up a bit," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital.
Some technology stocks continued to enjoy upward momentum one day after Nasdaq closed above 4,000 for the first time in 13 years. Apple rose 2.4 percent, Amazon jumped 1.4 percent and Netflix tacked on 2.1 percent.
Auto stocks also jumped, with General Motors rising 3.1 percent and Ford advancing 1.0 percent.
Petroleum refiners Valero (+3.7 percent), Marathon Petroleum Corp. (+3.4 percent) and Phillips 66 (+2.0 percent) also did well.
Computer company Hewlett-Packard jumped 9.1 percent after earnings bested expectations by a penny at $1.01 per share, with revenues also higher than forecasts. Chief Executive Meg Whitman said the company's turnaround "remains on track heading into fiscal 2014."
Drug retail chain CVS Caremark added 1.0 percent after announcing that it would buy Coram from Apria Healthcare Group for $2.1 billion. Coram is a provider of home infusion services, which involves treatment through a needle or catheter.
Engineering company Foster Wheeler vaulted 6.1 percent higher following a report that British firm Amec is considering an $8 billion takeover of the company.
Bond prices declined. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 2.74 percent from 2.70 percent Tuesday, while the 30-year increased to 3.81 percent from 3.80 percent. Bond prices and yields move inversely.
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