EUROPE (REUTERS) - Another record high close for the Nasdaq extending its bull run.

Healthcare stocks continue to move higher, as do banks. That had lifted the Dow and S&P 500 though they fell back by the close.

Mr Mike Piershale, president of Piershale Financial Group, said: "The markets are very, very close to the magic number 20,000. Even though the markets have been bouncing around, you know, I do believe that we are going to break through that barrier sometime very soon."

Illumina surged after the diagnostics company gave a strong quarterly forecast and launched a new product.

Yahoo's will rename itself Altaba after it closes its US$4.8 billion (S$6.89 billion) deal with Verizon. CEO Marissa Mayer will step down from its board, and several other directors, including co-founder David Filo, will leave as well.

General Motors shares revving up after the No. 1 US automaker gave an upbeat profit outlook for 2017.

In Europe, the FTSE hit another record high, with the other major country indexes also posting gains.