By Kate Gibson, MarketWatch
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday,
with the Dow industrials rebounding from their longest slide in
more than a year, as economic reports cast a better-than-estimated
light on manufacturing overseas.
In the U.S., weekly jobless claims illustrated ongoing
improvement in the labor market.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) advanced 36.43 points, or
0.2%, to 14,933.64.
The S&P 500 index (SPX) climbed 7.56 points, or 0.5%, to
1,650.39.
The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) gained 27.47 points, or 0.8%, to
3,627.25.
For every share declining, roughly three gained on the New York
Stock Exchange, where 51 million shares traded as of 9:40 a.m.
Eastern. Composite volume cleared 157 million.
Hewlett Packard Co. (HPQ) declined 10% after the
personal-computer maker's quarterly profit outlook
disappointed.
GameStop Corp. (GME) rose 16% after the video-game retailer
hiked its 2013 profit outlook.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) sank 20% after the retailer
reported second-quarter earnings beneath market expectations.
Applications for jobless benefits fell to a more-than five-year
low during the past month, illustrating ongoing improvement in the
U.S. labor market, the government reported.
Separate data had U.S. house prices climbing 7.7% year-over-year
in June, and up 0.7% from May, the Federal Housing Finance Agency
said.
The Conference Board's index of economic indicators is scheduled
for release at 10 a.m. Eastern.
Economic reports from overseas had Germany pacing gains in
manufacturing and services in the euro zone, and a measure of
factory productivity expanded in China.
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