U.S. stocks at new record, earnings key for more gains

It if ends the day above 2,130.82 on Monday, the S&P 500 index will close at a record, confirming a rally that started on March 10, 2009 as the second-longest bull market in the index's history. To the surprise of many, the latest all-time high has come more than a year after U.S. stock prices peaked and after the market has withstood several consecutive quarters of contracting U.S. corporate earnings and global market volatility. Declining earnings, stagnant overseas economic growth, a plun