New York, Dec 24 (IANS): Wall Street's three main indexes closed higher as investors digested corporate news and economic data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 96.44 points, or 0.34 per cent, to close at 28,551.53 on Monday. The S&P 500 rose 2.79 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 3,224.01. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 20.69 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 8,945.65, Xinhua reported.

Five of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended higher, with energy up 1.06 per cent, outpacing the rest. Utilities closed down 0.99 per cent, the worst-performing group.

Boeing shares climbed 2.91 per cent at the close, leading the gainers in the Dow. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg has stepped down after a tumultuous year amid 737 Max crisis, according to the US aircraft manufacturer on Monday.

On the data front, new orders for US manufactured durable goods dipped 2 per cent in November, the Department of Commerce reported on Monday. Economists had expected a 1 per cent increase in US durable-goods orders for November.