Jan 16 (Reuters) - The Dow Jones Industrial Average touched the 26,000-mark for the first time on Tuesday and other Wall Street indexes climbed as strong earnings from UnitedHealth and Citigroup helped lift the sentiment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 198.99 points, or 0.77 percent, to 26,002.18. The S&P 500 gained 13.76 points, or 0.493856 percent, to 2,800. The Nasdaq Composite added 45.95 points, or 0.63 percent, to 7,307.01. (Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D‘Silva) </s> Dow Jones industrial average closes above 20,000 points for the first time. </s> The Dow Jones industrial average closes above 26,000 points for the first time. </s> The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared to a record closing high on Tuesday, breaking through levels last seen in 2007 and as investors rushed in to join the party in anticipation of more gains.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average shot up 126.18 points, or 0.89 percent, to end unofficially at 14,253.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 14.60 points, or 0.96 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,539.80. The Nasdaq Composite Index was jumped 42.10 points, or 1.32 percent, to close unofficially at 3,224.13. </s> The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed 20,000 points soon after it opened Wednesday, the first time it's crossed the milestone, CNBC reports.

Dow futures rose around 100 points overnight, after the index closed at 19,913 — rising after President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders — pushing it above 20,000 soon after it opened, an important psychological milestone. </s> How the Dow Jones industrial average fared on Monday

U.S. stocks surged Monday after a Federal Reserve official said the central bank shouldn't raise interest rates too soon, which came as a big relief to investors. After a market nosedive on Friday, investors bought safe investments like household goods makers and phone companies. Technology companies also jumped.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 239.62 points, or 1.3 percent, to 18,325.07.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 31.23 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,159.04.

The Nasdaq composite leaped 85.98 points, or 1.7 percent, to 5,211.89.

The Dow is up 900.04 points, or 5.2 percent.

The S&P 500 is up 115.10 points, or 5.6 percent.

The Nasdaq is up 204.48 points, or 4.1 percent. </s> The Dow closed above 26,000 for the first time Wednesday, continuing an early-year stock surge that has pushed the U.S. market to fresh records.

At the closing bell, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 323 points, or 1.3%, to a record 26,115.65, according to preliminary numbers.

The fresh milestone comes just 13 calendar days after the 30-stock index topped 25,000, marking the fastest 1,000-point climb in its history, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

The Dow, which rallied 25.1% last year, has continued its surge at the start of 2018 amid rising optimism that tax cuts will lift corporate earnings and the economy. </s> NEW YORK (AP) — Dow Jones industrial average eclipses 20,000 for the first time; cheers from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. </s> NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 indexes soared to their biggest gains since the presidential election today and set all-time highs.

Investors bought stocks that do well in times of faster economic growth, like technology and industrial companies, but they also snapped up stocks that pay large dividends.

Stocks moved steadily higher throughout the day after a mixed open. Phone and real estate companies made the largest gains, but the rally moved into high gear in the afternoon, as airlines, railroads and trucking companies soared.

Investors took the rally in transportation stocks as a sign of optimism about economic growth. Technology and consumer-focused companies also jumped. Biotech drug companies took steep losses after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to reduce drug prices.

The transportation sector reached an all-time high for the first time in two years. Julian Emanuel, an equity strategist for UBS, said investors were pleased to see that record because they see it as a sign businesses will start spending more, which would bolster economic growth.

"The consumer has really been the engine of the economy," he said. "The missing piece has been the corporate side, the industrial side."

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 297.84 points, or 1.5 percent, to 19,549.62. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 29.12 points, or 1.3 percent, to 2,241.35. The Nasdaq composite recovered from an early loss to rise 60.76 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,393.76. That was about five points short of its all-time high.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rises above 21,000 points, reaching an all-time high.