U.S. stock indices hit new highs as Dow surpasses 44,000 and S&P tops 6,000

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 44,000 for the first time, gaining 304.14 points to finish at 44,293.13. The S&P 500 also reached a new milestone, closing above 6,000 at 6,001.35. The NASDAQ index set a new record, closing at 19,298.76, up 11.99 points. The Russell 2000 closed at 2,434.97, just short of its record from November 2021, despite an intraday high of 2,441.72. Year-to-date, the Russell 2000 is up 20.12%, while the S&P 500 and NASDAQ have increased by 25.82% and 28.56%, respectively.