The Dow Jones Industrial Average, a longtime bellwether for the U.S. economy, flirted yesterday with a high-water mark not seen since Lehman Brothers’ collapse triggered an economic implosion more than 4 years ago.

The Dow reached 13,005.04 at one point yesterday, before subsiding to close at 12,965.69 yesterday. It’s the first time the index has climbed that high since May 2008.

Investors were heartened by a deal struck in the European Union to resolve Greece’s debt crisis and by positive earnings results from a pair of American stalwarts.