New York City ? The Dow Jones industrial average scored its first close above 12,000 Thursday as Wall Street, undaunted despite evidence of a weaker economy, held fast to a slim advance.

The stock market’s most prominent benchmark ended the day at 12,011.73, the ninth time in just more than two weeks that the Dow has achieved a record-high close. It came one day after the index of 30 blue chip stocks made its first foray past 12,000.

The Dow’s latest milestone came on the anniversary of Black Monday in 1987, when the Dow plunged 508 points and suffered its second-biggest percentage drop in history. The Dow finished that day at 1,793.90, far from Thursday’s record.

The finish above 12,000 was the latest sign that the stock market continues a cautious recovery from the losses and despair investors suffered in the early part of this decade. After peaking in early 2000, the Dow and other indexes fell precipitously amid the dot-com collapse, recession and effects of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.