Stocks edge up, extend win streak

U.S. stocks posted modest gains Monday, extending a record-setting run into a sixth straight week.

Financial and technology companies notched some of the biggest gains. Energy stocks rose as crude oil prices went up. Healthcare companies declined the most. Bond prices fell.

The three major stock indexes closed at new highs, although trading was mostly listless as investors looked ahead to a slew of company earnings reports.

A few companies, mostly big banks, kicked off the third-quarter earnings season last week. Monday was a relatively light day for earnings, but the pace was slated to pick up Tuesday and into next week, when the bulk of companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index are scheduled to report quarterly results.

Among the companies due to report earnings this week are Goldman Sachs, American Express and UnitedHealth Group.

In the meantime, investors bid up shares in banks and tech companies. The sectors are the biggest gainers in the S&P 500 so far this year. JPMorgan Chase rose 2.1% to $97.84 on Monday. Micron Technology rose 2.7% to $41.49.

“Tech and financials are somewhat higher as investors continue to expect good earnings ahead,” said Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones.

Healthcare stocks took a hit. Allergan slid 3.5% to $198.41. Bristol-Myers Squibb fell 2.5% to $63.65.

Ruby Tuesday jumped 18.6% to $2.36 after the struggling restaurant chain said it has agreed to be acquired by NRD Capital in a deal valued at $335 million, or $2.40 a share, including debt and other items.

Sears Holdings slumped 11.5% to $5.99 on news that Bruce Berkowitz, who runs a firm that is the retailer’s biggest shareholder, is leaving Sears’ board of directors.

Exelixis leapt 17.2% to $29.02 after the biotech company reported positive study results for its cancer drug Cabometyx.

Oil prices rose amid rising tension in the Middle East. Benchmark U.S. crude oil ticked up 42 cents, or 0.8%, to $51.87 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, climbed 65 cents, or 1.1%, to $57.82 a barrel. That helped boost energy companies.

Wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.62 a gallon. Heating oil rose 2 cents to $1.81 a gallon. Natural gas slid 5 cents to $2.95 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.30% from 2.27%.

Gold fell $1.60 to $1,303 an ounce. Silver fell 4 cents to $17.37 an ounce. Copper rose 11 cents, or 3.4%, to $3.24 a pound.

The dollar rose to 112.22 yen from 111.89 yen. The euro fell to $1.1792 from $1.1817.