Washington, December 18: The Wall Street stocks touched new highs on Thursday on the back of optimism about 2021 outlook as coronavirus vaccines advance and Congress appears close to a deal on stimulus spending. All three major US indices ended at all-time highs, with the NASDAQ posting its third straight record. European and Asian bourses mostly rose, although the strong pound weighed on London's FTSE 100.

All three major indices ended at all-time highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.5 per cent to 30,303.37. The S&P 500 gained 0.6 per cent, ending at 3,722.48, while the Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 0.8 per cent to 12,764.75, finishing at a record for the third straight session. US Vice President Mike Pence and Wife Karen to Take COVID-19 Vaccine Publicly Today.

According to an AFP report, the records came despite some increasing signs of economic distress in the wake of the latest rise in COVID-19 cases. Data Thursday showed an unexpected jump in jobless claims after a report earlier in the week revealed a drop in retail sales.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2020 07:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).