Retailers help send indexes to records

NEW YORK >> U.S. stocks climbed for the sixth day in a row Thursday as strong firstquarter results from retailers like Best Buy and PVH led indexes to record highs. That offset weakness in energy stocks caused by a plunge in oil prices.

Stocks are on their longest winning streak in three months as retailers, technology companies, household products companies and health care firms made large gains. The Nasdaq composite joined the Standard & Poor’s 500 in setting record highs. While retailers that run stores jumped, their online rival Amazon also made a sizable gain as its stock price approached $1,000 for the first time. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 10.68 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,415.07. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 70.53 points, or 0.3 percent, to 21,082.95. The Nasdaq composite jumped 42.23 points, or 0.7 percent, to 6,205.26, above the record it notched last week. The Russell 2000 index edged up just 0.88 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,383.39. Electronics retailer Best Buy soared after it issued a strong firstquarter report, including better sales of mobile devices and gaming products. Its stock gained $10.83, or 21.5 percent, to $61.25. PVH, the owner of brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, climbed $4.94, or 4.8 percent, to $106.98 after it raised its annual forecasts in the wake of its own strong report.

Other retailers including Guess, Abercrombie & Fitch and Burlington Stores also made substantial gains.