Stocks End Up on Energy Rebound

U.S. stocks closed higher on Thursday, with energy shares leading the advance as crude oil rebounded off a sharp decline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 56.22 points, or 0.31%, to 17,958.73. The S&P 500 was up 9.28 points, or 0.45%, to 2,091.18. The Nasdaq Composite gained 23.74 points, or 0.48%, to 4,974.56.

General Electric Co. is close to selling all or part of its giant real estate holdings, people familiar with the matter said, as the conglomerate moves more aggressively to shrink its finance business. GE’s real estate portfolio holds around $30 billion worth of investments in office buildings, apartment complexes and other commercial property.

Personal computer shipments fell 5.2 percent in the first three months of this year, extending three years of declines, according to research firm Gartner, as plummeting sales of desk-based PCs offset strength in lightweight, portable machines.

Gap Inc. said its same-store sales for March rose more than expected, as an early Easter and strong sales at Old Navy stores offset weakness in namesake and Banana Republic brands. Sales at stores open at least a year rose 2%.