US stocks rise, extending an advance for the week; Hospira leads an advance in health care
The stock market is notching its third big gain this week as the price of oil recovers and investors applaud a big acquisition in the pharmaceutical industry.
Energy stocks rose Thursday as crude oil gained 4 percent.
Hospira soared 35 percent after the drugmaker agreed to be acquired by Pfizer for $16 billion.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 211 points, or 1.2 percent, to 17,884.
The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 21 points, or 1 percent, to 2,062. The Nasdaq composite rose 48 points, or 1 percent, to 4,765.
The gains put the Dow and the S&P 500 back in the black for 2015.
Crude oil rose 4 percent to close at $50.48 a barrel.
Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.81 percent.