NEW YORK - US stock indexes ended mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting a new high amid growing optimism that the 43-day government shutdown could soon come to an end.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 326.86 points, or 0.68 percent, to 48,254.82. The S&P 500 added 4.31 points, or 0.06 percent, to 6,850.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 61.84 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,406.46.

Six of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in green, with health and financials leading the gainers by adding 1.36 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, energy and communication services led the laggards by going down 1.42 percent and 1.18 percent, respectively.

The US Senate earlier this week approved a spending bill that has now moved to the House of Representatives for a final vote. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told CNBC that a vote is expected around 7 p.m. ET Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he intends to sign the bill once it reaches his desk.

The Dow's gains were driven by strong performances from financial heavyweights including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and American Express, all of which set new intraday records. Other bank stocks such as Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Bank of America also climbed to fresh highs.

Elsewhere, the artificial intelligence sector continued to see choppy trading, with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) jumping 9 percent while Oracle and Palantir Technologies posted losses.

Meanwhile, uncertainty persisted over key economic data for October. A senior White House official said Wednesday that major reports such as the consumer price index and employment figures may not be released at all due to the prolonged shutdown.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that the impasse may have caused "permanent damage to the federal statistical system," potentially leaving policymakers "flying blind at a critical period."