U.S. stocks finish near record highs after Fed to 14,511.73
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks ended higher Wednesday, with the S&P 500 snapping its first three-day losing run this year, after the Federal Reserve said its stimulus would continue. "The sequester as well as the elimination of the payroll-tax deduction, these factors are major fiscal drags on the economy, and the Fed is working with that in mind," said David Allon, a senior financial professional at FirsTrust Financial Resources LLC. After reaching an intraday record high during the session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 55.91 points, or 0.4%, to 14,511.73. The S&P 500 index climbed 10.37 points, or 0.7%, to 1,558.71, leaving it 6.39 points from its record finish. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 25.09 points, or 0.8%, to 3,254.18.