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The S&P 500 was flat Thursday as it aimed to wrap up its best first-quarter performance in five years.
The Dow Jones Industrials edged higher 2.39 points to 39,762.44.
The much-broader index inched higher 5.07 points to 5,253.56.
The NASDAQ added 5.69 points to 16,405.21.
For the quarter, the S&P 500 is up about 10%. It is on pace for its best first-quarter gain since 2019, when it rallied 13.1%. The 30-stock Dow, up 5.5% during the period, is tracking for its strongest first-quarter performance since 2021 when it advanced 7.4%. The NASDAQ is up 9.3% in the quarter thus far.
On a monthly basis, the S&P 500 is 3% higher. The NASDAQ and the Dow are both pacing for advances of more than 1.9%.
Driving the gains this quarter and month has been Nvidia, last year’s market leader, as the artificial intelligence craze shows no signs of slowing. The stock is up 83% for the quarter and 15% in March alone.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury stayed put, keeping yields at Wednesday’s 4.19%.
Oil prices chugged higher $1.01 to $82.36 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices picked up $20.40 to $2,233 U.S. an ounce.
