S&P hits record intraday high at opening bell after Apple results

U.S. stocks lifted off at the opening bell after gains for Apple shares boosted all three key equity benchmarks. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% to 2,952. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 49 points, or 0.2%, to 26,642. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.5% to around 8,136. Apple Inc. reported better than expected revenues and earnings, and it said its performance in China, one of its most-challenged regions, was improving. Shares of the iPhone maker rose 5%. Investors will also keep an eye on the Federal Reserve's policy update at 2 p.m. Eastern time, followed by Chairman Jerome Powell's press conference at 2:30 p.m. Powell could offer clues on how whether the central bank will tweak policy if inflation remains subdued.

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