Stocks Closed Higher, Led by Energy Sector

U.S. stocks closed higher on Thursday, led by energy sector, as investors shrugged off a persistent slide in oil markets that sent the price of crude to multiyear lows. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 82.45 points, or 0.47%, to 17,575.75, the S&P 500 gained 4.61 points, or 0.23%, to 2,052.23 and the Nasdaq Composite added 22.31 points, or 0.44%, to 5,045.17.

Crude oil prices extended their slide on Thursday to near seven-year lows. WTI (CLc1) was down 45 cents at $36.71 a barrel, after reaching a February 2009 low of $36.52.

Americans’ total net worth declined by $1.2 trillion in the third quarter of 2015, falling from an all-time high of $86.4 trillion to $85.2 trillion, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve.

Senate on Thursday approved a stop-gap measure to keep the federal government running until Wednesday, Dec. 16, while negotiations continue on a longer-term funding bill.