Around the World's Markets: New York

STOCKS ADVANCED for a third day as the November jobs report eased concern that rising employment costs will prompt the Federal Reserve to boost interest rates soon.

The Nasdaq rose to a record, jumping 2.9 per cent to 3,553.56, and is on course for its best year ever. The S&P500 topped an intra-day high set on 18 November; it rose 2.7 per cent to 1,447.42, led by General Electric, owner of GE Capital, the biggest non-bank financial business.