The Dow Jones industrial average has closed above 13,000 for the first time since May 2008, four months before the financial crisis.
The average closed up 23 points Tuesday to finish at 13,005. It's up more than 6 percent this year, mostly because of enthusiasm about the building U.S. economic recovery.
The Dow first broke 13,000 on April 25, 2007. The last time it ended the day above 13,000 was May 19, 2008. The Great Recession was six months old.
The close puts the Dow less than 1,200 points away from an all-time high.
Volume was lighter than average at 3.6 billion shares. Advancing
stocks barely beat declining stocks on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
