Stocks Ended Lower, Oil Finished 25% Higher

U.S. stocks ended lower on Thursday after a report on new weekly jobless claims showed a greater than expected individuals filed for initial unemployment insurance last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 288.14 points, or 1.17%, to 24,345.72. The S&P 500 declined 27.08 points, or 0.92%, to 2,912.43. The Nasdaq Composite was down 25.16 points, or 0.28%, to 8,889.55. For the month, the S&P was up 10.9%, the Dow rose 11.1%, and the Nasdaq gained 15.5%.

Oil futures finished 25% higher on Thursday, as traders eyed the outlook for global crude supply, demand and storage capacity. West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery rose $3.78, or 25.1%, to settle at $18.84 a barrel. June Brent crude added $2.73, or 12.1%, at $25.27 a barrel.