NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing with modest gains after reports on housing, manufacturing and jobs indicated the economy continues to grow, although slowly.
Trading was slightly muted Thursday head of a closely watched monthly report on employment that's due out Friday. First-time claims for unemployment benefits fell slightly last week.
According to preliminary calculations, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 50 points, or 0.5 percent, to 10,320.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 9, or 0.9 percent, to 1,090, while the Nasdaq rose 23, or 1.1 percent, to 2,200.
About two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume was light at 930 million shares.
