NEW YORK — The Nasdaq composite closed above 5,000 for the first time since its dot-com era peak nearly 15 years ago after merger news and an encouraging economic report helped push U.S. stocks broadly higher on Monday.
The major indexes rose from the start, with the Nasdaq passing the 5,000- milestone shortly before noon. The tech heavy index then dropped, before rising toward the close to end at 5,008.10, just 40 points from its March 2000 record.