Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.8%) set a new all-time high record, pushing past the previous level of 6,427.02 set on July 31 as the major averages continue to chart session highs. 

The gains are buoyed by broad-based buying activity, as breadth figures favor advancers over decliners by a roughly 10-to-3 ratio on the Nasdaq and a roughly 13-to-6 ratio on the Nasdaq. 

Eight S&P 500 sectors trade in positive territory, with the communication services (+1.5%), energy (+1.2%), financials (+1.2%), and information technology (+1.0%) sectors holding the widest gains. 

With the exception of a modest gain in the health care sector (+0.3%), defensive sectors are largely missing out on today's advance, as the utilities (-0.3%) and consumer staples (-0.6%) sectors both sport modest losses.