Indices closed well into green territory Wednesday. Both the Dow and S&P 500 hit new record levels today on Wall Street. Stocks surged in the final hour of trading. Financial and technology brands led the way up. Stocks gained amid news of better-than-estimated economic data from China and Germany as well as respectable quarterly figures from the likes of Whole Food Markets and Electronic Arts. Chinese export growth unexpectedly ramped up in April despite declining shipments to the U.S. and Europe and German industrial production increased more than expected in March. Meanwhile, News Corp. issued favorable earnings details. Net income climbed to $2.85 billion, or $1.22 per share in the first quarter, from $937 million, or 38 cents per share, a year ago. Elsewhere, crude oil tacked on $1 to settle at $96.62 a barrel.
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