Nasdaq tops 3,000 for first time since 2000 U.S. stocks were slightly higher Wednesday, lifting the Nasdaq index briefly above the 3,000 level for the first time since December 2000. Traders were watching as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave testimony on monetary policy before the House Financial Services Committee. Earlier, new data showed the U.S. economy grew slightly faster than initially thought in the fourth quarter on firmer consumer and business spending.