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| - Wall Street continued its string of new records on Monday, as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 notched all-time highs amid promising news about a new coronavirus treatment. The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average also climbed, gaining nearly 1.4 percent by the closing bell to 28,308.46 following news the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had authorized use of an experimental COVID-19 treatment. The broad-based S&P 500 jumped 1.0 percent to end the session at 3,431.28, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.6 percent to 11,379.72, its third consecutive high point, bringing the tally for the year closer to 40 records. Maris Ogg, portfolio manager at Tower Bridge Advisors, noted that while trading is quiet in late August, "We are slowly seeing the market broadening in terms of leadership, which is pretty healthy." Shares got a boost after the FDA on Sunday issued an "emergency use authorization" allowing doctors to administer plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat new patients. "Based on scientific evidence available, the FDA concluded this product may be effective in treating COVID-19 and that the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product in hospitalized COVID-19 patients," the agency said in a statement. But Ogg noted that good news on a treatment was counteracted by worrying reports about coronavirus patients becoming reinfected. "COVID is still very much rattling people," she told AFP. "It will probably go on like this until we have a group of vaccines that people are confident in." Apple continued its upward march, but retreated from the high point of the day, closing with a gain of 1.2 percent at $503.43 ahead of a planned stock split. Meanwhile, American Airlines surged 10.5 percent after announcing it was using a special anti-viral spray in its airplane to combat COVID-19, and Delta Air Lines gained 9.2 percent after adding international flights. hs/cs
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