US stock indexes open higher as company earnings reports start to roll in; energy sector gains

U.S. stocks are edging higher in early trading as companies start reporting earnings.

Energy stocks rose as the price of oil moved higher.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 58 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,960 as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time Thursday.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index increased five points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,087. The Nasdaq composite rose 19 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,969.

Walgreens Boots rose 2.5 percent after reporting earnings that beat analysts' forecasts.

Alcoa fell 3 percent after the giant metals company reported revenue late Wednesday that missed analysts' estimates.

The price of oil rose 95 cents to $51.35 a barrel in New York.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged at 1.90 percent.