NEW YORK, March 12 (UPI) -- The Dow blue chip index eked out a sixth straight record closing high Tuesday, after losses followed a report showing little growth in U.S. business optimism.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a trade group representing small companies, said its monthly Small Business Optimism index increased 1.9 points in February to 90.8. The improvement is welcome, the association said, but the index "remains on par with the 2008 average and below the troughs" of two previous recessions.