Markets Close Just Below Record Highs as Tesla Keeps Growing

The stock market continued to gain ground on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) and S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) closing just shy of their record levels. A modest decline for the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) showed some of the anxiety that investors have about inflationary pressure and rising interest rates, which could weigh on valuations for high-growth stocks. When Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is up to bat with earnings results, many investors pay close attention, and coming into Wednesday afternoon's release of third-quarter financial information, expectations were high that the electric vehicle pioneer would be able to sustain its strong momentum.