S&P 500 nears record high, helped by bank stocks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The benchmark S&P 500 index ended higher and edged closer to its record high on Thursday as bank stocks got a boost from the prospect of higher interest rates and consumer discretionary stocks were helped by economic data and earnings.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 35.61 points, or 0.19 percent, to 18,903.75, the S&P 500 gained 10.16 points, or 0.47 percent, to 2,187.1 and the Nasdaq Composite added 39.39 points, or 0.74 percent, to 5,333.97.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Nick Zieminski)