NEW YORK (Reuters) - Transportation shares were among the standouts in another flat session for U.S. stocks on Wednesday, and the sector's gains could be cause for optimism ahead.
The Dow transportation average <.DJT> unofficially hit a new all-time closing high.
Broader gains were limited as a downgrade of Portugal's credit rating weighed on banking shares, while an interest- rate hike in China loomed as another concern for investors.
Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 56.15 points, or 0.45 percent, to end unofficially at 12,626.02. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 1.34 points, or 0.10 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,339.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 8.25 points, or 0.29 percent, to close unofficially at 2,834.02.
(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)
