American markets closed at record highs for the second consecutive session, boosted by technology shares ahead of the corporate earnings season.
By the close of trading on Wall Street, the broadly based S&P 500, regarded as a barometer of the health of the world’s largest economy, had risen 44.82 points, or 0.8%, to 5,859.85, its 46th new high of the year.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.5%, at 43,065.22, its 37th closing high this year.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq rose 0.9% to 18,502.69, its third-highest close taking it 0.8% from its record high in July of 18,647.45.
Strong demand for Nvidia’s current and next-generation AI processors pushed the stock up 2.4% to a new high of $138.07, putting it on track to topple Apple as the world’s most valuable company.
Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft account for about a fifth of the S&P 500’s weight.
The dollar touched a nine-week high against a basket of world currencies and was 0.1% up against sterling at $1.3055.
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FTSE 100
The UK's flagship share index, the FTSE 100, was up 39-points, at 8,292 shortly after opening this morning.
Brent crude oil futures were down 3.50%, trading at $74.75 a barrel.
Companies reporting today
Bellway | Full Year Results |
Bytes Technology Group | Half Year Results |
IntegraFin Holdings | Q4 Trading Statement |
LVMH* | Q3 Trading Statement |
Mitie Group | Q2 Trading Statement |
QinetiQ | Q2 Trading Statement |
Rio Tinto | Q3 Operations Update |