NEW YORK: The S&P 500 and Dow snapped five-day losing streaks on Thursday on positive job market data but gains were limited as investors worried if Washington lawmakers would pass bills to avoid a government shutdown and possible U.S. debt default on time.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped last week near a six-year low, the Labor Department said, which could bode well for employers adding workers to their payrolls. Other data on housing and consumer prices were less positive signs of the recovery.