Stocks up slightly on fewer job losses

The government said 29,000 fewer first-time claims were filed in the week ending Feb. 27, compared to the previous week.

In early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average added 18.67 points, 0.18 percent, to 10,415.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.1 percent, 1.10 points, to 1,119.32. The Nasdaq composite index of tech-dominated stock rose 0.07 percent, 1.62 points, to 2,282.30.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury rose 5/32 to yield 3.604 percent.

The euro fell to $1.3577 from Wednesday's $1.3696. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 89.11 yen from Wednesday's 88.42 yen.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index lost 1.05 percent, 107.42 points, to 10,145.72.
In London, the FTSE 100 index lost 0.11 percent, 6.05, to 5,527.16.

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