U.S. Stocks End Mostly Higher; Post Solid Monthly Gains

U.S. stocks ended the month on a high note, with the S&P 500 closing just a few points off a record level. All three main indexes posted solid monthly gains. For the benchmark S&P 500 and Dow industrials this was the fifth consecutive monthly advance. For the Nasdaq Composite, the monthly gain was the largest since March. The S&P 500 index hit an intraday record level at 2,177.13, but closed off the highs. The index rose 3.54 points, or 0.2% to 2,173.60, finishing the week flat. Over the month, the index of large-cap stocks gained 3.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 24.11 points, 0.1% to 18,432.24 and posted a 0.8% loss over the week. Over the month, the blue-chip index gained 2.8%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite Index ended the session up 7.15 points, or 0.1%, at 5,162.13, posting a 1.2% gain over the week and a 6.6% gain over the month.