Dow up 35.56,
another record

NEW YORK -- Stocks rose modestly today, extending the market's record-setting advance as investors remained confident about the prospects for tame inflation and healthy profits.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 36.56 points to close at 7,575.83, closing in on the 7,600-

mark just one day after the blue-chip barometer's first close above 7,500. The Dow, up 17.5 percent on the year, has now gained more than 300 points over the past five sessions, setting new highs in the past four.

Advancers beat decliners today by a 13-to-9 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,525 up, 1,055 down and 811 unchanged. NYSE volume was 513.73 million shares vs. 526.95 million yesterday.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock list rose 4.30 to 869.57, and the NYSE's index climbed 1.74 to 453.50. It was the fourth consecutive session that both measures closed at record highs.

The Nasdaq index gained 6.15 to 1,407.84, and the American Stock Exchange composite index rose 1.56 to 622.67, setting its third straight record high after a one-year drought.

Heavy industrial shares, which have lagged other popular sectors such as technology and drugs, posted a strong performance for the second straight day. With popular market averages closing at record highs for three and four days in a row, investors were seeking those sectors that haven't grown pricey, analysts said.

The day's advance also came despite uncertainty about whether tomorrow's report on retail sales will reinforce recent signs that the economy may be slowing enough to keep inflation under control.