Wall Street stocks edged higher early Thursday as markets eyed a possible S&P 500 record in another potential landmark of a late-year rally.
Equities have trended higher since late October as the market has embraced moderating inflation and a strong labor market in the belief the US economy can avoid recession.
Data Thursday from the Department of Labor showed a slight increase in unemployment claims. However, the level remains low by historic standards.
About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1 percent at 37,698.02. The index closed at a record on Wednesday.
The broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.2 percent to 4,790.26 in early trading, about six points short of its all-time closing peak, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite index also gained 0.2 percent to 15,136.08.
Among individual companies, Apple advanced 0.6 percent after a federal court on Wednesday suspended a ban on the US sale of its latest watch models.
A ban on sales of the watch had briefly gone into effect Tuesday after US President Joe Biden’s administration opted not to veto a ruling on the device’s patent.
