Stocks Closed at Record High, Apple Above $900

U.S. stocks closed at a record high on Wednesday as Apple’s market value climbed above $900 billion. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 6.13 points, or 0.03%, to 23,563.36. The S&P 500 rose 3.74 points, or 0.14%, to 2,594.38. The Nasdaq Composite added 21.34 points, or 0.32%, to 6,789.12.

Oil futures ended lower in volatile trading Wednesday after a weekly U.S. government report revealed a surprise rise in crude stockpiles but larger-than-expected declines in supplies of gasoline and distillates. December West Texas Intermediate crude fell 39 cents, or 0.7%, to settle at $56.81 a barrel. January Brent crude lost 20 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $63.49 a barrel.

Apple Inc. is one step closer to becoming a $1 trillion company, after becoming the first public company to clear a $900 billion market cap and close there in Wednesday trading.

The U.S. Department of Justice is pushing AT&T Inc (T.N) to sell Turner Broadcasting, parent of CNN cable network, or its DirecTV satellite television unit to satisfy antitrust concerns over its purchase of Time Warner Inc (TWX.N), sources told Reuters on Wednesday.