Stocks extend winning streak to 3 days, shaking off weak labor data

U.S. stocks finished slightly higher Thursday, with major indexes rising for a third straight session as investors looked past data showing a rise in first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.07% rose around 25 points, or 0.1%, to close near 34,823, according to preliminary figures. The S&P 500 SPX, +0.20% gained around 9 points, or 0.2%, to finish near 4,368, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced around 53 points, or 0.4%, ending near 14,685.