NEW YORK (AP) - The Dow Jones industrial average has climbed above 14,000 today for the first time since the Great Recession.

Continue reading

The Dow has gained 6.7 percent since the start of the year. A budget deal, struck at the start of the year in Washington, that allowed the U.S. to avoid the "fiscal cliff" was the catalyst for a January rally.

Investors then pushed stocks higher amid optimism that the housing market is maintaining its recovery and that the jobs market is slowly healing.

Dow Jones Averages

30 industrials 13960.30 up 99.72 or 0.72 percent

20 transportation 5844.80 up 40.57 or 0.70 percent

15 utilities 475.21 up 1.21 or 0.26 percent

65 stocks 4766.61 up 30.08 or 0.64 percent

Major Market Indexes

New York Stock Exchange unchanged

NYSE MKT Composite 2429.85 up 16.19

Nasdaq composite 3159.76 up 17.63

Standard and Poors 500 1506.61 up 8.50