MARKET SNAPSHOT: U.S. Stocks Rise; Dow Set To End 2013 On New Record

By William L. Watts, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks traded slightly higher Tuesday morning, with Wall Street on track to end a bullish 2013 on an up note, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average eyed its 52nd record close of the year and the S&P 500 aimed for its biggest annual percentage rise since 1997.

The S&P 500 (SPX) rose 4 points, or 0.2%, to 1,8435 contributing to a 29.3% rise for the year and leaving it on track for its largest annual percentage jump since 1997. The Dow industrials (DJI) added 33 points to trade at 16,536, a day after the index notched its 51st record close of 2013. The blue chips are on track for an annual rise of around 26%.

The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) , meanwhile, advanced 9 points to 4,163. The index is up nearly 38% over the course of 2013, which would be the biggest rise since 2009.

Volume is expected to remain thin. Stocks will see a full day of trading, but markets will be closed Wednesday for New Year's Day.

The economic calendar remains light. The S&P 500 added to gains after the Conference Board said its consumer confidence index rose more than expected to 78.2 in December from a revised 72 in November.

Earlier, stock-index futures were little budged by a 0.2% rise in the Case-Shiller home-price index for October. Stocks trimmed gains slightly but remained in positive territory after the Chicago Business Barometer, a gauge of business activity in the region, fell more than expected in December but remained strong overall.

The index dropped to 59.1% in December from 63% a month earlier. Economists had expected a reading of 61%. Any reading above 50% indicates expansion.

Among blue chips, American Express Co. (AXP) rose 0.9%, while United Technologies Corp. (UTX) , Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and Boeing Co. (BA) each added around 0.5%. Boeing, followed by American Express, have been the top Dow performers in 2013, with Boeing up more than 80% since the beginning of the year and American Express adding more than 57%.

Shares of streaming movie-rental firm Netflix (NFLX) were up 0.2% after the firm said Chief Executive Reed Hastings would get a 50% raise in 2014.

Shares of Hertz Global Holdings (HTZ) gained 5% after the car-rental company said it would adopt a so-called poison pill aimed at barring investors from collecting a controlling stake in the company.

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Case Shiller: Home prices up, but boom fading

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