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U.S. stocks edge higher; S&P 500 nears record
U.S. stocks rose moderately on Monday, with the S&P 500 trading near its previous closing record. Investors digested a report on factory orders, which rose 2.1% in March, mostly in line with expectations. Monday’s gains follow the rally on Friday, when stocks posted their largest one-day gain in a month. The S&P 500 SPX, +0.29% rose 7 points, or 0.3%, to 2,116 with eight of its 10 main sectors trading higher. Utilities, financials and health-care stocks were leading gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.26% gained 57 points, or 0.3%, to 18,081, while the Nasdaq Composite COMP, +0.23% rose 17 points, ... (full story)