Google Hits All-Time Closing High

While Apple (AAPL) has been getting the attention in the blogosphere lately, Google (GOOG) has been quietly ratcheting into new territory. The search giant Thursday rose $7.29 to $541.63, a new all-time closing high.

For the year, the stock is up 17.6%. Google’s market cap is just under $169 billion; it now ranks among the 25 largest companies traded in the U.S. on that measure. It is just a few billion behind Cisco (CSCO), at $172 billion, and a hair behind Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) at $171 billion; the company has blown past IBM (IBM) at $161 billion.

The only tech and telecom companies with higher market caps: Microsoft (MSFT) at $287 billion, AT&T (T) at $256 billion, China Mobile (CHL), $223 billion, and Vodafone (VOD), $202 billion.

Oh, and speaking of new highs: Apple hit one Thursday as well, up $5.58, to $132.75, boosting its market cap to nearly $115 billion.