A Late surge lifted some US stock measures to record highs yesterday as a pricey market grew more attractive after a second day of profit-taking on Wall Street's month-long rally.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 38.36 points - or 0.46 per cent - to 8,413.94.

Other popular indicators also reversed course after falling at the open as investors secured some more gains from the market's record-setting advance.

In keeping with the theme of that rally, the blue-chip dominated indexes attracted the most buying. The Standard and Poor's 500 and the New York Stock Exchange composite wiped out Thursday's losses to finish at record highs.