Dow posts eighth day of gains

Investors took profits on recent gains in US stocks on Wednesday, but a last-minute rise in Bank of America helped lift the Dow to its eighth straight day of gains.

Investors remain confident that solid corporate earnings will inspire further advances, but a recent string of lightly traded sessions raises worries that buying interest at these levels has dried up.

Energy and materials stocks weighed on indexes, pressured by weakness in emerging markets, a source of heavy demand for raw goods. Chevron Corp was the weakest stock on the Dow, falling 1.5% to USD 96.24, followed by Alcoa, off 1.4% to USD 17.16. The Morgan Stanley commodity-related equity index fell 1%.