NEW YORK: The Dow added to records on Tuesday, flirting with 22,000 points for the first time, following solid international economic data amid some renewed hopes that Washington will cut taxes.
Near 1545 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 21,969.21, up 0.4 percent after earlier getting to within 12 points of 22,000. The blue-chip index has finished at records the last four days.
The broad-based S&P 500 was up 0.1 percent to 2,473.86, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index won 0.2 percent to 6,358.55.
Analysts attributed the gains to strong data, including reports showing eurozone growth accelerated slightly in the second quarter and Chinese manufacturing activity rose in July.
In the US, a key measure of inflation was flat in June for the second straight month, while the annual rate declined.
President Donald Trump took credit for the latest run of stock market records on Twitter.
"Stock Market could hit all-time high (again) 22,000 today. Was 18,000 only 6 months ago on Election Day. Mainstream media seldom mentions!" Trump tweeted.
Analysts in recent weeks have attributed the stock market gains largely to better economic data and earnings, more than expectations for public policy.
Many analysts have downgraded the odds Washington will enact a tax cut this year after Trump's efforts to reform health care failed.
But Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare said there was greater optimism on Tuesday following the appointment of General John Kelly as White House chief of staff, perhaps signaling an end to the chaos.
"More than a few talking heads we heard also suggested that Mr. Kelly's leadership style raises the chances of getting a tax reform deal done," O'Hare said.
"That may be giving a little more credit than is due at the moment since Mr. Kelly doesn't run the House or the Senate, but we shall see."
General Motors lost 3.2 percent and Ford 2.5 percent as both reported steep drops in July US car sales as the auto market continued to cool.
Wireless company Sprint surged 10.8 percent after reporting first-quarter net income of $296 million, its first gain in three years.