THE Dow Jones industrial average rolled to its first close above 6,000 yesterday as Friday's momentum lifted several stock measures to new highs.

On Wall Street the Dow rose 40.62 points, finishing at 6,010. Earlier, the well known barometer of 30 big US companies rose as high as 6,020.81, breaking its previous intraday record at 6,010.37, set early last week.

The Dow had crossed the 6.000 mark for the first time last Monday, and did it again the following day, but retreated each time amid nervousness about the onslaught of third quarter US earnings reports this week and next.

Advances outnumbered declines by a slim 12 to 11 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,200 up, 1,100 down and 940 unchanged. NYSE volume totalled 322.00 million shares, against 395.93 million in Friday's session.

The Standard and Poor's 500 stock index rose 2.88 to 703.54, edging last Monday's record finish at 703.34.