WALL STREET ROUNDUP
The stock market brushed past another milestone on Friday. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed above 1,800 for the first time, capping seven straight weeks of gains.
The broader index is on track for its best performance in 15 years as a combination of solid corporate earnings, a strengthening economy and easy-money policies from the Federal Reserve draw investors to stocks. Stocks have also gained because they offer an attractive alternative to bonds, where interest rates remain close to all-time lows. The S&P 500 index rose 8.91 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,804.76. The index has advanced 26.5 percent in 2013. If it finishes at that level, it would be its strongest year since a 26.7 percent gain in 1998. The Dow Jones industrial average also continued its upward march after finishing above 16,000 for the first time Thursday. The index gained 54.78 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,064.77. The Nasdaq composite rose 22.49 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,991.65.
On Friday, health care stocks led the market’s rise. Biotechnology company Biogen Idec surged on reports that it won market exclusivity for its top-selling multiple sclerosis drug in Europe. The company’s stock jumped $33.19, or 13 percent, to $285.62.
Health care stocks have also led gains in the S&P 500 this year, rising 38 percent. The industry is attractive to investors. Some of its companies, like Biogen Idec, offer the possibility of explosive growth. Others are established players like Pfizer, which pays big dividends. Health insurance companies have also done well this year as the Affordable Care Act rolls out.
Despite their big gains, stocks could continue to rise. The economy is forecast to keep recovering and that helps companies increase their earnings. And while stock valuations have risen, they are still attractive compared with bonds.
Netflix has surged 276 percent as the video steaming service and DVD rental company continues to add subscribers. Best Buy has surged 232 percent as the company’s turnaround strategy appears to be working after a tough 2012.
Still, there are also grounds for caution.
Given the strong gains this year, stocks are no longer a bargain.
The price-earnings ratio of S&P 500 companies, a measure of how much investors are willing to pay for a stock in relation to its earnings, has climbed to 14.9 from 12.6 at the start of the year.
Also, the rally in stocks is getting long in the tooth. The S&P 500 has surged more than 160 percent, since the bull market for stocks began 56 months ago — in March, 2009. Since the Great Depression, the average bull market for stocks has lasted 57 months.