Investing.com -- Stocks on the U.S. equities markets inched up on Thursday, amid a stronger dollar and better than expected employment data.
Led by gains in the energy sector, stocks on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 Composite index both closed higher for the session. Stocks on the NASDAQ Composite index also closed in the green, as all three major indices remained on track to finish the week in positive territory.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 56.22 or 0.31% to 17,958.73 to extend its winning streak, while the NASDAQ Composite index rose 23.75 or 0.48% to 4,974.57.
The S&P 500, meanwhile, gained 9.28 or 0.45% to 2,091.18 bolstered by gains in the Energy, Industrials and Health Care sectors. While stocks in seven of the 10 sectors closed in the green, stocks in the Utilities, Telecommunications and Financial industries lagged.
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) moved modestly higher after reports surfaced that the multinational semiconductor giant dropped its bid to acquire Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR), a California-based manufacturer of reconfigurable complex digital circuits. Intel gained 0.08 or 0.24% to 31.39, while Altera rose 3.17% or 1.33 to 43.33. Talks reportedly broke down due to a price disagreement between the companies.
The top performer on the Dow was General Electric, which gained 0.72 or 2.86% to 25.73, after the Wall Street Journal reported that the multinational conglomerate is nearing a deal to sell all or part of its real estate holdings to Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) and Blackstone. The portfolio reportedly contains approximately $30 billion in assets. The worst performer was Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD), which fell 0.86 or 0.74% to 114.73.
The biggest gainer on the NASDAQ was Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA), which rose 5.07 or 5.78% to close at 92.75 after the drug store chain reported higher quarterly earnings and announced plans to close 200 stores nationwide. Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN), also gained nearly 6% amid Elaine Wynn's ongoing proxy battle with the resort's board of directors. Company CEO Steve Wynn divorced Elaine for the second time in 2010. The couple reconciled in 1991, after their first divorce five years earlier. Shares in the multinational entertainment and casino corporation rose 7.40 points to 136.68.
The worst performer was Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) after it started trading on a split-adjusted basis on Thursday. The Seattle-based coffee company's 2-for-1 split was paid on Wednesday, following the close. Besides Starbucks, the biggest loser was Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (NASDAQ:BBBY), which fell 4.24 or 5.46% to 73.44 after reporting declining profits and lower than expected earnings in the first quarter.
Wynn Resorts was the biggest gainer on the S&P 500, just ahead of offshore oil and gas drilling corporation Ensco plc. Ensco gained 1.29 points or 5.68% to 24.02. Starbucks and Bed Bath & Beyond were also the two worst performers on the S&P 500.