S&P 500 ends at record high after Washington deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The S&P 500 closed at a record high on Thursday as investors regained confidence in the market following a last-minute deal to avoid a U.S. default, but weak earnings from IBM and Goldman Sachs pulled the Dow industrials slightly lower.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 3.98 points, or 0.03 percent, at 15,369.85. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 11.36 points, or 0.66 percent, at 1,732.90. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 23.72 points, or 0.62 percent, at 3,863.15.

The S&P's close eclipsed the previous record of 1,725.52, reached on September 18.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Kenneth Barry)