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 <.DJI> rose 35.61 points, or 0.19 percent, to 18,903.75, the S&P 500 <.SPX> gained 10.16 points, or 0.47 percent, to 2,187.1 and the Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> added 39.39 points, or 0.74 percent, to 5,333.97.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Nick Zieminski)