Closing Bell: Apple Leads Dow; S&P 500 at Closing Highs for First Time in August

Summary: It was another record for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500's first for August. The Dow has ended at records for nine straight days in a row, largely tied to positive earnings from some of its major components. Apple Inc. led the Dow to its records after rising more than 1% and climbing for its second day in a row. It's been a solid year so far for the world's largest company. Its shares have surged just over 37% since the beginning of 2017. Marriott International was higher after partnering with Alibaba to tap into the growing Chinese travel market. The joint venture allows Chinese travelers to book rooms at Marriott properties through the Alibaba travel website. BlackBerry fell after Goldman Sachs resumed coverage with a SELL rating and $8.50 price target. The firm is cautious in its outlook for auto business revenue.