Another all-time high for the S&P 500 index, barely, as U.S. corporate earnings reports flow in

10/21/2013

NEW YORK — The Standard & Poor’s 500 index edged up to another record high as investors assessed third-quarter earnings news.

The S&P 500 index inched up sixteen-hundredths of a point today to close at 1,744.66, just above the all-time high it closed at on Friday.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped seven points, or 0.1 percent, to 15,392. The Nasdaq composite increased nearly six points, or 0.2 percent, to 3,920.

Hasbro rose $2.48, or 5.2 percent, to $49.72 after the toymaker reported big gains in sales of girls’ toys.

Homebuilders fell on news that sales of previously occupied homes declined last month because of higher mortgage rates and home prices.

Slightly more stocks fell than rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was below average at 3 billion shares.