Wall Street ends higher on trade, ECB stimulus hopes

NEW YORK: Wall Street advanced on Thursday, and the S&P 500 ended the session within striking distance of its all-time closing high, buoyed by positive developments on the U.S.-China trade front and a promise of continued stimulus from the European Central Bank.

Technology gains led the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq higher, while financials gave the biggest boost to the blue-chip Dow, which closed up for the seventh consecutive session, its longest winning streak since May.