Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- The markets were up Thursday on better-than-expected reports on jobless claims and retail sales.
The Dow closed up 81 points at 13,575. The Nasdaq gained 14 points, climbing to 3,149. The S&P added 10 points and closed at 1,461.
Job seekers still may be having a hard time finding work, but it could be harder. The Labor Department says the number of Americans who applied for first-time unemployment benefits last week jumped by 4,000 from the week before. Analysts say that's in line with a soft job market, but not one that's collapsing.
The September unemployment numbers are due out on Friday.
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