Global Markets – Dow, S&P 500 hit record highs; dollar loses steam

By Sam Forgione
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Key U.S. equity indexes swept to record intraday highs on Black Friday thanks to gains in consumer staple stocks, while European shares also advanced, and a stabilization in U.S. Treasury yields led investors to sell the dollar.
The small cap Russell 2000 also hit a record intraday high on a day when trading volumes are expected to be relatively thin, with the U.S. stock market closing at 1:00 p.m. ET (1700 GMT).
The S&P 500 consumer staples index