Nasdaq Rises For Third Straight Session, Flirts With Record

U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with gains fueled by better-than-expected earnings and an upbeat report on existing-homes sales. The S&P 500 closed 10.66 points, or 0.5%, higher at 2,107.95. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 88.35 points, or 0.5%, to 18,038.07. The Nasdaq Composite closed with gains for the third-straight session. The tech-heavy index gained 21 points, or 0.4%, to 5,035.17, the highest closing level in 15 years and within a striking distance from the all-time closing record.