Soaring oil prices could not keep U.S. stocks from gaining Thursday as positive earnings statements spurred investors' optimism, dpa reported. Crude oil for September delivery broke yet another record, touching 66 dollars a barrel before closing up 1.4 per cent at 65.80 dollars a barrel in New York. But while oil prices that are hitting new highs near daily weighed down the benchmark indices Wednesday, Thursday's rally held up. Investors are feeling good about earnings reports in the second quarter. News Corp., the fourth-biggest U.S. media company, was the latest stock to benefit from a better-than-expected earnings report. Its stock rose 59 cents to 18.03 dollars. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 91.48 points, or 0.86 per cent, to 10,685.89. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 8.68 points, or 0.71 per cent, to 1,237.81. The technology- heavy Nasdaq Composite Index gained 16.74 points, or 0.78 per cent, to 2,174.55. On currency markets, the dollar kept sliding against the euro, falling to 80.176 euro cents from 80.798 euro cents on Wednesday. The U.S. currency also lost against the Japanese yen, closing at 109.60 yen from 110.70 yen on Wednesday. Gold gained 4.20 dollars, closing at 440.75 dollars per fine ounce.
