Some encouraging economic news at home and abroad sent U.S. stocks higher Thursday as the Dow Jones Industrial average picked up 136 points to close at 12,287.04.
The Nasdaq composite and S&P 500 gained 24 points and 13 points, respectively.
After slumping earlier in the week, the euro rallied back against the dollar, moving up to above $1.29, but ongoing concerns about the eurozone crisis is still keeping it near a 15-month low. Weekly claims rose 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 381,000, according to the Labor Department, safely under the key 400,000 level for the fourth straight time. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 375,000.
Here are some more details from Thursday’s trading session:
Dow Jones Industrial Average:
Up 135.63 points, or 1.12% to 12287.04
Today’s gain snaps a two-day losing streak.
Biggest points and percentage gain since December 20, 2011.
An intraday high of 12293.96 occurred at 15:56:40 today, representing an increase of 142.55 points, or 1.17%.
An intraday low of 12152.09 occurred at the open today.
All 30 component stocks closed up today and have done so 14 times previously this year.
Today's top five performing stocks in the index: IBM (16.57), CVX (11.43), MCD (9.31), CAT (9.16), XOM (8.25).
Today's bottom five performing stocks in the index: CSCO (0.68), AA (0.83), BAC (1.29), PFE (1.36), MSFT (1.51).
Down 1877.49 points, or 13.25% from its record close of 14164.53 on October 9, 2007.
Up 6.20% from 52 weeks ago.
Up 87.67% from its 12-year closing low of 6547.05 on March 9, 2009.
Down 4.09% from its 2011 closing high of 12810.54 on April 29.
Up 15.31% from its 2011 closing low of 10655.30 on October 3.
Month-to-date: up 2.00%.
Year-to-date: up 6.13%.
Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index:
Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index, 13073.16 (prelim)*, up 142.58 points, or 1.10%, or approximately $164 billion in market capitalization.
Up six of the last seven trading sessions.
Biggest points and percentage gain since December 20, 2011.
Down 2672.23 points, or 16.97% (approximately $4.0 trillion in market cap), from its record close of 15745.39 on October 9, 2007.
Up 92.25% (approximately $7.2 trillion in market cap), from the 12-½ year closing low of 6800.08 on March 9, 2009.
Down 0.55% over the past 52 weeks.
Down 8.63% from its 2011 closing high of 14308.37 on April 29.
Up 15.70% from its 2011 closing low of 11299.07 on October 3.
Month-to-date: up 1.07%.
Year-to-date: down 0.44%, or approximately $269 billion in market cap.
Data courtesy of Dow Jones Indexes.
