NEW YORK, March 13 (UPI) — A stronger than expected retail report helped keep a winning streak on Wall Street alive Wednesday, as the Dow index hit a seventh consecutive all-time peak.
The Dow Jones industrial average, which started the day in the red, added 5.22 points or 0.04 percent to 14,455.28, its seventh consecutive record high and its ninth consecutive day in the black.
The U.S. Commerce Department gave stocks a boost with a retail report that said sales rose 1.1 percent month-to-month with gains beating expectations, which predicted a 0.5 percent increase.
The Standard and Poor’s 500 index added 2.04 points, or 0.13 percent, to 1,554.52. The Nasdaq composite gained 2.80 points, or 0.09 percent, to 3,245.12.
On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,730 stocks advanced and 1,331 declined on a volume of 3 billion shares traded.
The 10-year U.S. treasury bonds fell 1/32 to yield 2.023 percent.
Against the dollar, the euro fell to $1.2958 from Tuesday’s $1.3033. Against the yen, the dollar was higher at 96.12 yen from 96.09 yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed 0.61 percent, 75.15 points to 12,239.66.
In London, the FTSE 100 index shed 0.59 percent, 38.10 points, to 6,472.52.
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).
