NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. stocks are sharply higher for a second day in a row, erasing their losses from the first few days of the year.
Investors were encouraged Thursday by signs of strength in the U.S. job market and more hopes of stimulus from Europe’s central bank.
The price of oil was stabilizing after six months of heavy losses.
The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 287 points, or 1.6 percent, to 17,872 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 increased 32 points, also 1.6 percent, to 2,058. The Nasdaq rose 80 points, or 1.7 percent, to 4,731.