Stock gains deliver more records on Wall Street

Steady gains throughout the day delivered another round of record highs for major indexes on Wall Street Tuesday. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq also hit a record high.

Small-company stocks rose much more than the rest of the market, a signal that investors are feeling more optimistic about the economy.

The gains, which came after a shaky start for the market, came as the U.K. became the first Western country to start a mass vaccination program.

U.S. regulators have given a positive initial review of the vaccine and a decision to allow its use is expected within days.

Meanwhile, governments worldwide have been tightening restrictions on businesses in an effort to stem the latest surge in cases.