Nasdaq hits record, S&P and Dow close in as banks gain

America Express and Caterpillar , both up more than 2 percent, led the 21 gainers among the 30 Dow components and set the blue-chip index back on course for the elusive 20,000-points mark. Investors are looking to the upcoming corporate earnings season to justify the record levels Wall Street has surged to in a rally since Donald Trump's U.S. presidential election win on Nov. 8. Corporate earnings will be a factor over the next month.