Wall Street ends higher, another record for S&P 500

Technology companies led U.S. stocks broadly higher Monday, extending the market’s recent rally and nudging the S&P 500 to another alltime high.

Wall Street kicked off the final week in a banner year for the stock market with mostly muted trading as investors returned from the Christmas holiday and several overseas markets remained closed.

The S&P 500 rose 65.40 points, or 1.4%, to 4,791.19, for its fourth straight gain. The benchmark index, which capped a holiday-shortened week Thursday with a record high, is on pace to close out the year with a 27.6% gain. The index has notched 69 all-time highs so far this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 351.82 points, or 1%, to 36,302.38; and the technology-heavy Nasdaq rose 217.89 points, or 1.4%, to 15,871.26.

Small company stocks also rose. The Russell 2000 index gained 19.88 points, or 0.9%, to 2,261.46.