How major US stock indexes fared on Thursday

U.S. stock indexes finished slightly higher in light trading Thursday, nudging the Dow Jones industrial average to its 71st record high this year.

Banks accounted for most of the gains. Some energy companies also notched gains as plummeting temperatures across much of the U.S. sent the price of natural gas higher. Consumer-goods makers lagged the most.

On Thursday:

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 4.92 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 2,687.54.

The Dow gained 63.21 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 24,837.51, a record.

The Nasdaq added 10.82 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 6,950.16.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks picked up 4.99 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 1,548.93.

For the week:

The S&P 500 is up 4.20 points, or 0.2 per cent.

The Dow is up 83.45 points, or 0.3 per cent.

The Nasdaq is down 9.80 points, or 0.1 per cent.

The Russell 2000 is up 6 points, or 0.4 per cent.

For the year:

The S&P 500 is up 448.71 points, or 20 per cent.

The Dow is up 5,074.91 points, or 25.7 per cent.

The Nasdaq is up 1,567.04 points, or 29.1 per cent.

The Russell 2000 is up 191.80 points, or 14.1 per cent.