by Echo Wang
Dec. 27 (Reuters) – The New York Stock Exchange finished higher on Monday, supported by strong retail sales that helped allay concerns about the economic impact of the Omicron variant.
The Dow Jones index gained 0.98%, or 351.82 points, to 36,302.38 points.
The larger S & P-500 gained 65.4 points, or 1.38%, to 4,791.19 points.
The Nasdaq Composite advanced 217.89 points (1.39%) to 15,871.26 points.
The S & P500 index hit a closing record, driven by the distribution sector, as retail sales rose 8.5% between November 1 and December 24 in the United States, according to a report released on Sunday.
The airline sector index has suffered from the thousands of flight cancellations announced in recent days due to the Omicron variant.
“Omicron reminds us that we are still in a time of pandemic. This will probably be one of the topics we will continue to talk about, but the doomsday scenario of 2020 seems far behind us,” explains Sylvia Jablonski Kampaktsis director of investments and co-founder of Defiance ETFs in New York.
To values, Tesla, Microsoft, Apple and Meta Platform carried the Nasdaq.
Cruise operators Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Carnival have all fallen, driven by fears over the Omicron variant.
* TO BE FOLLOWED TUESDAY:
(French version Camille Raynaud)