Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for Dec 18

The relentless rally in US stocks extended Monday, buoyed by a burst of deals as traders largely ignored tempered messaging from Federal Reserve officials.

On the heels of a seven-week bull run, the S&P 500 rose 0.5% as more than $40 billion of mergers and acquisitions hit the wire Monday after months of disappointing volumes. The Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.6%, to close at a record for the second consecutive session.

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