U.S. Stocks Extend Gains As Nasdaq Rallies To Record High

U.S. stocks extended gains for a third session Thursday as the Nasdaq finished at a record-high close on buoyant sentiment following the Federal Reserve's decision to stand pat on interest rates. The S&P 500 rose 14 points, or 0.6%, to end at 2,177 while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 98 points, or 0.5%, to finish at 18,391. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 44 points, or 0.8%, to close at 5,339 after touching an intra-day record of 5,342.88. The Fed on Wednesday kept rates unchanged even as Chairwoman Janet Yellen hinted that a tighter monetary policy is likely by the year end. The Fed, according to analysts at BNP Paribas, are "ready, but not willing" to hike rates yet.