U.S. Stocks Close Higher For 3rd Straight Day

U.S. stocks closed higher Thursday, logging a third straight day of gains as crude oil stabilized. The S&P 500 finished 6.94 points, or 0.4%, higher at 1,993.39. The Dow industrials finished 44.24 points, or 0.4%, higher at 16,943.56, while the Nasdaq Composite finished four points, or 0.3%, higher at 4,707.42. It was the U.S. market's first three-day winning streak since Feb. 17. Chesapeake Energy Corp. surged 94 cents, or 26.3%, to $4.34, making it the largest gainer on the S&P 500 for the second straight day. Kroger Co. slid $2.91, or 7.2%, to $37.74, making it the index's biggest loser.

Copyright © 2016 MarketWatch, Inc.