A sign for Wall Street outside the New York Stock...

A sign for Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan on July 15, 2013. Credit: AP

Another round of buying on the stock market is sending the Standard & Poor's 500 index to its latest record high.

Traders were encouraged by earnings gains and a decline last week in the number of people applying for unemployment benefits.

The S&P 500 rose five points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 1,992 Thursday. That's four points above the record close it reached July 24.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 60 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,039. The Nasdaq composite edged up five points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,532.

Hewlett-Packard rose 5 percent after the company reported its first sales increase in nearly three years. Sears fell 7 percent after reporting a wider loss.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.40 percent.

With everything from shopping small to the hottest gifts, even where to eat while you are on a mall marathon, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have it covered.  Credit: Randee Daddona; Newsday / Howard Schnapp

NewsdayTV's ultimate holiday shopping show With everything from shopping small to the hottest gifts, even where to eat while you are on a mall marathon, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have it covered. 

With everything from shopping small to the hottest gifts, even where to eat while you are on a mall marathon, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have it covered.  Credit: Randee Daddona; Newsday / Howard Schnapp

NewsdayTV's ultimate holiday shopping show With everything from shopping small to the hottest gifts, even where to eat while you are on a mall marathon, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have it covered. 

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME