U.S. Stocks Advance; Small-caps Rally To Record Level

Wednesday's gains on Wall Street sent key U.S. stock indexes close to record levels, as better-than-expected earnings and a jump in oil prices invigorated stock market bulls. Small-cap stocks led the rally, with the Russell 2000 closing at a fresh record. Energy stocks rallied more than 2% following a nearly 6% jump by crude-oil futures, which settled at the highest level this year. Investors shrugged off weaker-than-expected manufacturing data. The S&P 500 closed 10.78 points, or 0.5%, higher at 2,106.62. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 75.71 points, or 0.4%, to 18,112.41. The Nasdaq Composite ended the session up 33.73 points, or 0.7%, to 5,011.02. The Russell 2000 outperformed other indexes, adding 9.98 points, or 0.8%, to 1,275.34.