S&P 500 ekes out another record close; Nasdaq dips

Stocks were relatively unchanged and closed mixed in listless trading Wednesday as the S&P 500 managed to eke out another record closing high.

The major indexes traded within a narrow range all day as the Standard & Poor's 500 hovered right around the 2000 mark that it finally closed over the day before.

In the last few minutes of trading, the S&P 500 index bumped up 0.10 point to a record close of 2000.12. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 15.31 points, or 0.1%, to 17,122.01. Both indexes have risen seven of the past eight trading sessions.

The Nasdaq composite index was down slightly, falling 1.02 point to 4569.62.

Wall Street's recent record-setting rally has been sparked by growing signs that the U.S. economy and labor market are improving and better-than-expected second-quarter earnings.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.36% from 2.38% Tuesday. Oil prices were slightly lower as benchmark U.S. crude fell 3 cents to $93.84 a barrel in New York.

Several retail stocks were higher Wednesday after reporting positive earnings news:

• Luxury retailer Tiffany (TIF) reported earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street estimates. Shares were up 1% to $101.75.

• Shares of Express (EXPR) surged 13% to $16.45 after the apparel retailer raised its profit forecast.

• Crafts retailer Michaels Cos. (MIK) saw its stock jump 9.3% to $16.54 after reporting earnings.

Asian markets were mixed as the Nikkei 225 rose 13.60 points, or 0.1%, to 15,534.82 and the Shanghai Composite gained 2.36 points, or 0.1%, to 2209.47. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 155.75 points, or 0.6%, to 24,918.75.

In Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.1% to 6830.66, while Germany's DAX fell 0.2% to 9569.71 and France's CAC-40 gained less than 0.1% to 4395.26.

Tuesday stocks rose as the S&P 500 rose 2.10 points, or 0.1%, to close at a record 2000.02. The Dow gained 29.83, or 0.2% to 17,106.70 after earlier hitting an intraday record high of 17,153.80. The Nasdaq composite index rose 13.29, or 0.3%, to 4570.64.