weekly jobless claims

A big drop in weekly jobless claims and surprisingly strong May sales from Wal-Mart Stores were among the main factors lifting stocks Thursday morning.

Stocks inched higher early Thursday, bouncing after the previous session's big selloff, as investors welcomed some positive retail sales from Wal-Mart Stores and other chains and a bigger-than-expected drop in weekly jobless claims.

Stocks were little changed early Thursday as investors considered upbeat earnings from Ford Motor and some disappointing tech forecasts, as well as a surprise dip in weekly jobless claims.

Stocks turned higher Thursday afternoon, erasing morning losses, as investors eyed higher weekly jobless claims ahead of Friday's big monthly jobs report and the Senate hearing on the collapse and rescue of Bear Stearns.

Stocks waned Thursday morning as investors parsed a surprise jump in weekly jobless claims, a downgrade of tech leader Cisco and the start of the Senate hearing on JP Morgan's 11th-hour buy of Bear Stearns.

Stocks fell at the open Thursday as investors mulled a surprisingly weak reading on weekly jobless claims and geared up for Fed chief Ben Bernanke's second day of Congressional testimony.

Stocks tumbled Thursday morning after a weak reading on economic growth was left unchanged and a jump in weekly jobless claims revived worries that the economy is in a recession, or heading for one.