The S&P 500 Starts The 2nd Half of 2021 at a New Peak

The S&P 500 index started the second half of the year at record levels on Thursday after data showed that the number of weekly applications for unemployment benefits came in less than expected, while Walgreens shares gained after the company raised its forecast for annual profits.

The S&P 500 index rose 3.2 points, or 0.08%, to a record high of 4,300.73 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4.8 points, or 0.01%, to 3,4507.32 points, while the Nasdaq Composite Index fell 10.3 points, or 0.07%, to 14,493.69 points.