Dow nears 13,000, S&P reaches 3 1/2-year high

2/29/2012

NEW YORK -- The Dow Jones industrial average narrowly missed 13,000 Monday after hoveing around the milestone for most of the afternoon.

For the day Monday, the Dow lost 1.44 points and closed at 12,981.51. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 1.85 points to 1,367.59, a 3 1/2-year high. The Nasdaq composite index rose 2.41 points to close at 2,966.16, its highest since December, 2000.