July 9, 2015: Markets opened higher on Thursday and that’s when the major indexes posted their daily highs. New claims for unemployment benefits remain at close to the averages for full employment even though jobs growth has slowed. Energy prices have turned higher after another slow start this morning and gold dropped about 0.4%. Shortly before the closing bell the DJIA traded up 0.42% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 0.48%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 0.50%.

The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Thursday was The Travelers Companies Inc. (NYSE: TRV) which traded up 1.53% at $100.27. The stock’s 52-week range is $88.81 to $110.49. Trading volume was around 2.5 million shares, about 20% above the daily average of around 2 million. Merrill Lynch upgraded the stock this morning from Neutral to Buy.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) traded up 1.42% at $33.92. The stock’s 52-week range is $27.51 to $35.53. Around 14 million shares traded hands today, about 33% below the daily average of around 23 million. The company had no specific news today.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) traded up 1.40% at $66.35. The stock’s 52-week range is $54.26 to $69.82. Trading volume was about 10% below the daily average of around 15 million. The U.K.’s financial industry regulator today dropped its investigation of the London Whale case.

McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) traded higher by 0.85%% at $96.65. The stock’s 52-week range is $87.62 to $101.09. Trading volume was about 40% below the daily average of around 6 million. The company had no specific news today.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 21 are set to close higher today and 9 are on track to close lower.

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