Stock Market Today: Dow aims for back-to-back gain, stocks push high in final hour of trade
U.S. stocks ended near the session’s highs on Thursday, as inflation data helped cement expectations for the Federal Reserve to take a modest approach next week with its first interest-rate cut in four years.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 235.06 points, or 0.6%, ending at 41,097.77. The session high was 41,107.35.
The S&P 500 climbed 41.63 points, or 0.8%, closing at 5,595.76.
The Nasdaq Composite advanced 174.15 points, or 1%, finishing at 17,569.68.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both sealed their fourth straight session of gains.
Recent gains for stocks, despite an uptick in turbulence, left equities on the doorstep of record territory.
The Dow ended Thursday only 1.1% below its record close from late August, while the S&P 500 was 1.3% off its mid-July record finish, according to Dow Jones Market Data.