The Dow shot above 25,000 points for the first time Thursday as strong US private-sector hiring data extended a stocks rally in the wake of enactment of US tax reform. About 10 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 25,035.74, up 0.5 percent.

The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.4 percent to 2,722.61, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.4 precent to 7,082.08. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also added to Wednesday''s records.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2018