Consumer-Discretionary Sector: Points and Gains

consumer-discretionary sector: The finish was just shy of the S&P 500's closing record of 2,271.72 set Dec. 13, according to Market Watch. Gains were broad-based, with nine of the 11 main sectors ending the session in the green. The S&P 500 index SPX, -0.08% closed up 12.92 points, or 0.6%, to 2,270.75, led by gains in the consumer-discretionary sector, which includes car makers, and the materials sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.21% rose 60.40 points, or 0.3%, to close at 19,942.16, led by gains in Nike Inc.NKE, -0.02% and American Express Co.AXP, -1.23% after coming within 44 points of the psychologically significant 20,000 level. The Fed said interest-rate hikes may come at a faster-than-expected pace, according to minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee's Dec. 13-14 meeting. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, 0.20% closed up 47.92 points, or 0.9%, at 5,477.00, as biotech stocks surged, with the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF IBB, 0.31% rising 2.6%. The Russell 2000 index RUT, -1.15% finished up 22.46 points, or 1.6%, at 1,387.95, just shy of its record finish of 1,388.07 set on Dec. 9. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.