Indices added slight gains on Thursday. Stocks climbed higher on a variety of economic news. The Commerce Department said that U.S. retail sales for December edged up by 0.1%, compared to a revised 0.4% lift in November. Economists had expected sales to rise 0.3%. Retail sales excluding cars declined 0.2% in December after rising 0.3% in the prior month. Meanwhile, the Labor Department said initial jobless claims increased by 24,000 to 399,000 last week. New claims exceeded expectations for 375,000. Elsewhere, Chevron and Williams-Sonoma shed some points today after both companies announced profit warnings for the quarter, and in Williams-Sonoma’s case, the year. Looking ahead, JPMorgan Chase is set to release earnings details tomorrow.
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