S&P 500 rises to record territory at 4,750 to start final week of trade of the year

U.S. stock benchmarks rose Monday, with gains in technology shares helping to establish an intraday record for the S&P 500, which could lead to its 69th record close of 2021. The S&P 500 index SPX, -0.13% was trading 0.5% higher at 4,748, and had hit an intraday day high at 4,750.35, marking the first intraday record for the broad-market index since Nov. 22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.26% rose 0.2% at 36,032, and the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, -0.60% advanced 0.6% to trade around 15,750. Hundreds of flights were canceled across the globe over the weekend as surging COVID-19 infections triggered quarantines for airline staff. Shares of airliners, including American Airlines Group AAL, +1.63% and United Airlines Holdings UAL, +1.79% were down sharply in early trade.