U.S. markets rose Thursday, pushed by a Labor Department report that first-time unemployment claims fell last week to their lower level in more than five years.
The number of initial benefit claims filed fell by 10,000 to 332,000, the lowest since January 2008.
The Dow Jones industrial average, on a nine-day winning streak -- the longest it has seen in 16 years -- added 52.96 points, or 0.37 percent, to 14,508.24 at midday.
The Standard and Poor's 500 index added 5.48 points, or 0.35 percent, to 1,560.00. The Nasdaq composite gained 8.96 points, or 0.28 percent, to 3,254.08.
The 10-year U.S. treasury bonds fell 5/32 to yield 2.04 percent.
Against the dollar, the euro rose to $1.3014 from Wednesday's $1.2961. Against the yen, the dollar was lower at 95.76 yen from 96.11 yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 141.53 points, 1.16 percent, to 12,381.19.
In London, the FTSE 100 index gained 0.74 percent, 47.91 points, to 6,529.41.
