Banks, tech help send Dow closer to 22,000 mark

Banks and technology companies took U.S. stocks higher Tuesday, and less-loved sectors including phone and real estate companies also climbed as companies continued to report strong second-quarter results.

Payment processors also made hefty gains, while Sprint said it gained wireless subscribers and that it’s open to combining with a competitor or a cable company. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Xerox and shopping mall operator Simon Property Group all climbed, while athletic apparel maker Under Armour and industrial companies fell after disappointing results. General Motors and Ford slumped on weak July sales reports.

Some of the largest gains went to companies and industries that have struggled this year, like real estate investment trusts, or which have missed out on the gains entirely, like phone companies. Randy Frederick, vice president of trading and derivatives at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, said the shift is a good sign for the stock market.

“When people are willing to go out and do the proverbial bargain hunting in areas that have not outperformed as much, that shows confidence,” he said. “The broader the bull market becomes, the more sectors that participate, the more sustainable it becomes.”

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 6.05 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,476.35. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 72.80 points, or 0.3 percent, to 21,963.92. The blue chip index closed at a record high for the fifth day in a row. Nasdaq composite added 14.82 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,362.94. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks gained 3.19 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,428.33.

Banks helped lead the way. The top gainers included JPMorgan Chase, which rose $1.23, or 1.3 percent, to $93.03 and Citigroup, which added $1.15, or 1.7 percent, to $69.60.

Intel rose as South Korean regulators signed off on its deal for Mobileye. Mobileye makes software that processes information from cameras and other car sensors to decide where an autonomous car should steer.