Stocks close higher; Nasdaq climbs to an all-time high

Banks and other financial companies led U.S. stocks modestly higher Thursday, nudging the Nasdaq composite index to an all-time high.

Rising bond yields, which can result in higher interest rates on loans and bigger profits for banks, helped put traders in the mood to buy banking stocks. Energy companies also notched gains as crude oil prices rose. Utilities and other high-dividend stocks fell.

Investors also bid up shares in companies that released strong quarterly results or announced big transactions. ConocoPhillips jumped 8.8 percent after the energy company agreed to sell most of its Canadian assets.

“Equities are ending the first quarter in a reasonably good place,” said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. “I do think equities trend sideways, probably for the next month. The rally since

the election has centered around improved sentiment regarding tax reform and infrastructure spending, and that’s still a work in progress.”

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 69.17 points, or 0.3 percent, to 20,728.49. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index added 6.93 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,368.06. The Nasdaq gained 16.80 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,914.34. Smallcompany stocks fared better than the other indexes, sending the Russell 2000 index up 10.70 points, or 0.8 percent, to 1,382.35. The four stock indexes last set record highs on March 1.

Bond prices edged lower. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 2.41 percent from 2.38 percent late Wednesday.

Trading was mostly subdued at the start of trading Thursday following mixed action in overseas markets. But soon investors got another batch of encouraging economic news: The Commerce Department raised its estimate for economic growth in the fourth quarter to 2.1 percent from 1.9 percent, noting that consumer spending increased more than expected. And the Labor Department said applications for unemployment benefits dipped slightly last week.

The latest economic data followed positive reports on consumer confidence and housing earlier this week.

“Today’s action and the little bit of strength we’ve seen the past couple of days is maybe investors focusing a little bit more on fundamentals and the fact that the economy and earnings are in the same trajectory as they were two weeks ago when the markets were at all-time highs, and we’re slightly below that,” said Sean Lynch, co-head of global equity strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Financial sector stocks rose 1.2 percent, the biggest gain among the 11 sectors in the S&P 500. The sector, which is up 2.8 percent this year, accounted for more than half of the index’s gains Thursday.

Traders bid up shares in big banks such as Capital One Financial, which rose $2.46, or 2.9 percent, to $87.14.

“What we know is that probably interest rates are rising and the Fed is going to raise rates, and that probably less regulation is on the way, and that might be why sometimes you see financials kick up on a day like this,” Mr. Lynch said.

ConocoPhillips jumped after the energy company agreed to sell most of its Canadian assets to Canada’s Cenovus Energy in a deal valued at $13.2 billion. The stock was the biggest gainer in the S&P 500 index, climbing $4.05 to $50.

Lululemon sank 23.4 percent a day after the yoga clothing company’s forecast for the quarter fell well short of Wall Street’s expectations. The stock slid $15.54 to $50.76.

Science Applications International tumbled 13.1 percent after the information technology company’s latest quarterly results missed estimates. The company cited a variety of problems, including delays and declines in contract work. The stock lost $11.28 to $74.97.

In energy futures trading, benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 84 cents, or 1.7 percent, to close at $50.35 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 54 cents, or 1 percent, to $52.96 a barrel in London.