Stocks’ late stumble leaves S&P 500 just short of a record high

U.S. stock indexes closed mostly higher Thursday after a late stumble pulled the Standard & Poor’s 500 index just short of its third consecutive all-time high. The benchmark index ended the day down 0.1%, though it’s still on track for its second weekly gain. Stocks on Wall Street are continuing to coast after their rocket ride last month powered by hopes for coming COVID-19 vaccines. The Nasdaq composite set a record high for the second straight day. Treasury yields mostly declined, a reversal from earlier in the week. A couple of reports on the economy helped support stocks. One showed that growth in the U.S. services sector, including healthcare and retail, was slightly stronger last...