Dow Jones closes above 13,000 for first time since May 2008

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Dow Jones industrial average has closed above 13,000 for the first time since May 2008, four months before the financial crisis.

Preliminary figures show the Dow closed up five points Tuesday to finish at 13,005. The average is up more than 6 percent this year, mostly because of enthusiasm about the building U.S. economic recovery.

The Dow first broke 13,000 on April 25, 2007. The last time it ended the day above 13,000 was May 19, 2008. The Great Recession was six months old.

The close puts the Dow less than 1,200 points away from an all-time high.