Fresh record highs for all three benchmark US indices as investors continued to focus on solid second-quarter earnings and the latest merger and acquisition activity (M&A) rather Washington - Dow gained +66-points or +0.31% and the broader S&P500 +0.54%. The NASDAQ +0.64%, with Apple (up +%) rallying for a ninth consecutive session. In second-quarter earnings releases, Morgan Stanley rose +3% after reporting better-than-expected numbers across-the-board. Elsewhere, the Wall Street Journal reported that Discovery Communications (up +4.34%) and Scripps Networks (+14.73%) had revived merger discussions that fizzled back in 2013.
