In U.S. stocks, the S&P 500.........>

US STOCKS CLOSE: In U.S. stocks, the S&P 500 closed up 0.06% at 2,508.24, after

trading in a 2,496.67 to 2,508.85 range. This is a record high close for the

index and the earlier high a record intraday high.

At Wednesday's close, the S&P 500 was up 12.0% year-to-date.

Market players were also monitoring the Russell 2000 index, which often leads

larger stock swings.

The Russell 2000 closed at 1,445,42, not far from the day's high of 1,446.48,

which was still below the 1,452.091 life-time high posted July 25.

Last month, the index bottomed at 1,349.354 on August 18, the lowest level since

April 17, when the Russell 2000 bottomed at 1,345.363.

Earlier Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a new intraday high

of 22,413.26. The index closed at a record life-time high close of 22,412.59.

The Nasdaq Composite closed at 6,456.04, below the the new life-time high close

of 6,461.32, posted Tuesday. On Monday, the index peaked at a new life-time

intraday high of 6,477.767.