US stocks ended higher Thursday on positive economic figures, including jobless claims and PMI.

The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims last week declined by 28,000 to 187,000 -- the lowest level for initial claims since September 1969.

Manufacturing industry PMI data hit a six-month high in March, reaching 58.5.

Meanwhile, durable goods orders declined 2.2% in February, worse than expectations.

The blue chip Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 1.02%, or 349.44 points, at 34,707.

The S&P 500 rose 63.92 points, or 1.4%, to close at 4,520.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 269.23 points, or 1.9%, to 14,191./aa