From Mark DeCambre: The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Thursday midday was at the doorstep of a record close. At last check, the blue-chip index was less than 1% from its Oct. 3 peak, up 0.4% at 26,564, compared with its record put in last fall at 26,828.39, according to FactSet data. Thursday’s climb was being supported by a rebound in shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH, +0.32% which has been taking it on the chin, along with the rest of the health-care sector, this week. UnitedHealth’s stock was up 1.7% or $3.73, while shares of insurer Travelers Cos. Inc. TRV, +2.25% up 2.9%, or $3.91, also were helping the Dow DJIA, +0.42% creep toward a record, even after a brutal end to 2018 that saw the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.16% and Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +0.02% all put in there most recent lows. All of the main U.S. equity benchmarks are within striking distance of all-time closing peaks.
