US stocks rally pre-Christmas

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US stocks rallied in a brief pre-holiday session, closing at 2009 highs, after data showing a drop in initial jobless claims and growth in durable goods orders suggested an economic recovery was picking up steam.

Stocks racked up a fifth day of gains on light volume before the Christmas holiday. After finishing early for Christmas Eve on Thursday, markets will be closed on Friday.

Data showed initial jobless claims fell more than forecast last week to the lowest tally since September 2008, while a separate report showed durable goods orders, excluding transportation, surged 2.0 per cent, beating expectations.

The reports were "more wind at the market's back," said

Michael James, senior trader at regional investment bank Wedbush Morgan in Los Angeles.

Stocks that have performed well this year received an extra lift from year-end window dressing as portfolio managers sold laggards to buy shares that have rallied recently. Apple, which has gained 144.9 per cent this year, closed at a record high - up 3.4 per cent at US $209.04. Earlier in the abbreviated session, which ended at 1pm, Apple also hit a fresh intraday high of US$209.35.

"There's far more people who have gains on a lot of names this year, who are less likely to want to sell," James said.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 53.66 points, or 0.51 per cent, to end at 10,520.10. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 5.89 points, or 0.53 per cent, to finish at 1,126.48. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 16.05 points, or 0.71 per cent, to close at 2,285.69.

NASDAQ UP 45 PER CENT FOR 2009

For the week, the Dow gained 1.9 per cent, the S&P 500 rose 2.2 per cent, and the Nasdaq jumped 3.4 per cent, capping its longest winning streak since October.

With the Dow setting a 14-month closing high on Thursday, the blue-chip average is up 19.9 per cent for 2009.

The S&P 500, which also finished Thursday's abbreviated session at a 14-month high, is up 24.7 per cent for the year.

The Nasdaq - ending at a 15-month closing high on Thursday - is up an eye-catching 45 per cent for 2009.

In Thursday's session, Apple's stock also got a boost as excitement intensified over the expected release of its tablet computer.

Healthcare was the lone S&P 500 sector to end slightly lower after the US Senate approved an overhaul measure Thursday morning.

Health insurer Cigna slipped 0.4 per cent to $36.33, and the Morgan Stanley Healthcare Payor Index declined 0.3 per cent.

Health insurers and related stocks have rallied recently as legislation appeared less ominous for the sector than originally feared. But the Senate health bill must be reconciled with the measure approved recently by the US House of Representatives, adding to uncertainty.

The US dollar dipped 0.08 per cent against a basket of major currencies, which helped push commodity prices higher. That, in turn, lifted shares of natural resource companies. Shares of steelmaker Nucor gained 2.2 per cent to $47.10.

Volume was light on the New York Stock Exchange, with only 319.3 million shares changing hands, sharply below last year's estimated daily average of 1.49 billion. On the Nasdaq, about 613.8 million shares traded, also well below last year's daily average of 2.28 billion.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a ratio of 3 to 1, while on the Nasdaq, eight stocks rose for nearly every five that fell.

- Reuters