Dow Climbs to Record on Wal-Mart as Oil Slumps; Treasuries Rise

U.S. stocks rose, as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. drove the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a record, offsetting declines in small-cap and energy shares. Crude oil extended losses to the lowest level in four years on concern OPEC won’t act to ease a global glut, while Treasuries climbed.

The Dow gained 0.2 percent to an all-time high of 17,652.79 by 4 p.m. in New York, as Wal-Mart jumped 4.7 percent after earnings topped analysts’ estimates. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.1 percent after fluctuating during the session, while the Russell 2000 Index of smaller companies dropped 0.9 percent. U.S. oil and Brent slid more than 3 percent. Ten-year Treasury yields declined two basis points to 2.35 percent. The ruble weakened against most of its peers as Europe and U.S. weighed further sanctions against Russia.