US stocks posted gains on Thursday as weekly jobless claims fell a day ahead of a critical monthly unemployment report. Government figures also showed that pending sales of existing homes rose 5.2 per cent in July, surprising economists after a 2.8- per-cent drop the previous month, according to dpa. Stocks were also boosted as first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell this week by 6,000 to 472,000, the Labour Department reported. The department will report unemployment figures for the month of August on Friday morning. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 50.63 points, or 0.49 per cent, to 10,320.1. The broader Standard and Poor's 500 Index was up 9.81 points, or 0.91 per cent, to 1,090.1. The technology- heavy Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 23.17 points, or 1.06 per cent, to 2,200.01. The US currency fell against the euro to 77.97 euro cents from 78.07 euro cents on Wednesday. The dollar also fell against the Japanese currency to 84.31 yen from 84.43 yen the previous day.
