S&P 500, Dow end at record highs despite caution; oil falls

By Sam Forgione NEW YORK (Reuters) - The S&P 500 and Dow U.S. stock indexes ended at fresh record highs on Wednesday even as a rally in U.S. and European shares lost much of its steam on a plunge in oil prices and caution ahead of corporate results. The S&P 500 ended at 2,152.43, a hair above Tuesday's close of 2.142.14, to notch its third consecutive record close. The Dow ended at 18,372.12, topping Tuesday's close of 18,347.67 to mark its second straight record close.