Stocks Opened Higher after Jobless Claims Data

U. S. stocks open slightly higher on Thursday after better than expected jobless claims data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately rose 46.79 points, or 0.17%, to 28,257.61. The S&P 500 gained 8.49 points, or 0.25%, to 3,444.05. The Nasdaq Composite added 49.09 points, or 0.43%, to 11,533.79.

Oil futures on Thursday took back some of the ground lost in the previous session. West Texas Intermediate crude for December delivery rose 35 cents, or 0.9%, to $40.38 a barrel. December Brent crude was up 39 cents, or 0.9%, at $42.12 a barrel.

The Department of Labor released its weekly report on new jobless claims Thursday, which showed another 787,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment insurance benefits, for a print much better than the 870,000 new claims expected.