US Stocks Appreciate

Stocks have resumed their climb higher after Alcoa kicked off earnings season with an unexpected profit and the government reported a drop in initial claims for jobless benefits.

Sales several big retailers, meanwhile, are coming in better than Wall Street expected.

Aluminum company Alcoa Inc. surprised investors following the market’s close Wednesday by reporting its first profit in nine months. The profit of $77 million, or 8 cents per share, was due to cost-cutting and rising sales to automakers. Alcoa also said worldwide aluminum demand is expected to increase by 11 percent for the second half of the year.

“Alcoa set the tone and backed it up,” Michael Feser, president of Zecco Trading said.

Traditionally the first major company to report earnings, Alcoa’s better-than-expected report and upbeat demand prediction reassured investors. Stocks were little moved Wednesday, pausing from a two-day surge, as investors awaited Alcoa’s report.

The Labor Department added to the day’s upbeat mood, reporting that new claims for jobless benefits fell to 521,000 last week, down from 554,000 the previous week and better than analysts had expected. It was the lowest level seen since early January, providing further evidence that the job crunch is easing.

The number of people continuing to claim benefits fell to 6.04 million. Analysts expected continuing claims to rise slightly.

In early trading, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 62.35, or 0.6 percent, to 9,787.93. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 7.29, or 0.7 percent, to 1,064.87, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 15.16, or 0.7 percent, to 2,125.49.