U.S. Stocks Rise Moderately But Dow Closes At 2017 Low

U.S. stocks rose moderately on Wednesday as gains in financials offset weakness in telecommunications shares but the Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the trend to close at its lowest of 2017. The S&P 500 gained 4 points, or 0.2%, to close at 2,271. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 22 points, or 0.1%, to end at 19,804 while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 16 points, or 0.3%, to close at 5,555. Major indexes traded within a tight range as sentiment remained subdued ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Friday.