Dow Jones closes above 45,000 points for 1st time

The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.7%, 308 points, to 45,014 points to close above 45,000 for the first time ever. Likewise, the S&P 500 Index increased 0.6%, or 36 points, to 6,086 points, and the Nasdaq Composite added about 1.3%, or 254 points, to 19,735 points. Accordingly, both indices closed at record levels for the third session straight.

Marvell Technology shares advanced 23.2% to $118.15, after the chip maker issued robust earnings estimates for Q4. Salesforce shares, further, jumped 11% to $367.94, as the company’s revenue exceeded forecasts.

As for the European indices, STOXX Europe 600 added 0.35% to 517.4 points, extending its uptrend for the fifth straight session.

FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 8,335 points. DAX 40 increased 1.1% to 20,232 points.

CAC 40 inched up 0.65% to 7,303 points,

In Japan, Nikkei 225 remained unchanged at 39,276 points. TOPIX fell 0.45% to 2,740 points.

In the oil market, futures contracts for Brent crude for February delivery dropped 1.8%, or $1.31, to $72.31 per barrel.

Meanwhile, prices of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil for January delivery fell 2%, or $1.4, to $68.54 per barrel.

As for gold, futures prices for the yellow metal for February delivery inched up 0.3%, or $8.3 to $2,676 per ounce.

US economic data showed that growth in services activity slowed more than expected in November, while the private sector added fewer jobs than expected last month, with a downward revision to October's data.