Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Nov. 15.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit and closed above 28,000 for the first time ever on Friday, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also closed at new records.

Why it matters: The 28,000 level has no relevance in and of itself, but the markets' new highs in recent weeks is a sign of investors' renewed confidence in the state of the U.S. economy.


  • The S&P 500 is on a six-week winning streak — the longest stretch of gains in two years, per CNBC — though the index's daily gains have been tepid.

Go deeper: The current bull market is actually below average...

Read more from our friends at Axios