Stocks Climb as Jobless Claims Dip

U.S. stock rose on Thursday with early economic figures pointing to a better employment landscape. Dow Jones industrial rose 37.60 points to 14,333.84. The broader S&P  added 1.15 points to 1,542.61. Nasdaq rose 0.44 points to 3,222.81.

Dell Inc shareholder Carl Icahn proposed the No. 3 personal computer maker pay out $15.7 billion in a special dividend, becoming the second major investor to oppose a plan by founder Michael Dell to take the company private.

Markets have settled quickly after Italy’s fractured election result and any threat of contagion has been muted, the European Central Bank’s chief said on Thursday, suggesting it is in no rush to take any action.

The National Transportation Safety Board will issue an “interim factual report” at 11 a.m. ET Thursday on its investigation into a battery fire aboard a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane on January 7.

U.S. carmaker Chrysler has asked banks to pitch next month for a mandate to run a potential public listing of its shares, four sources said, as parent Fiat (MIL:F) wrangles with minority shareholder VEBA over a possible buyout.