US stocks: Dow touches record high as oil prices slide retreats below $80

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 306.27 points or 0.59% to a record high of 51,977.30, while the S&P 500 was largely flat at 7,555.24 and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.03% to 26,675.54. Crude oil prices retreated below $80 per barrel, easing inflation concerns. The combination of record US equities and lower oil prices is supportive for Indian markets, particularly energy-import-sensitive sectors.