U.S. Stocks Close Slightly Higher, Eke Out Weekly Gain

U.S. stocks finished the Easter-shortened week with modest gains after benchmarks advanced slightly on Thursday. The sessions's upward momentum was supported by better-than-expected jobless claims, which pointed to continued strength in the labor market and set the tone for Friday's nonfarm payrolls. The S&P 500 closed 7.26 points, or 0.4%, higher at 2,066.95 and booked a 0.3% gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 65.06 points, or 0.4% to 17,763.24 and gained 0.3% over the week. The Nasdaq Composite ended the session up 6.71 points, or 0.1%, to 4,886.94, but was 0.1% lower for the week.