Stocks edged higher on Monday as investors kept bets to a minimum in front of earnings on the lightest volume day so far this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 18.24 points, or 0.18 percent, to end unofficially at 10,216.27. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> edged up 0.79 of a point, or 0.07 percent, to close at 1,078.75. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 1.91 points, or 0.09 percent, to finish unofficially at 2,198.36.

The three major indexes posted gains for a fifth day running.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jan Paschal)