Investors encouraged by a good batch of earnings reports and forecasts jumped back into stocks after a two-day slide.
Stocks posted big gains Thursday as investors snapped up financial shares after several banks said they weren't seeing as many loans go bad. The market extended its advance in afternoon trading when Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it expects sales to grow this year and increase at a faster pace next year.
The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 132 points and logged the biggest gain of major indexes after Wal-Mart's forecast and as several companies included in the indicator reported earnings that beat expectations.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index advanced the least among major indicators following a disappointing forecast from online retailer eBay Inc.
Tech stocks could get a lift Friday following Amazon.com Inc.'s report that its third-quarter earnings jumped 62 percent. The online retailer brought in more revenue than expected and said it expects sales will continue to grow. The company's report arrived after markets closed, and its shares jumped 15 percent in late trading after ticking up only 3 cents during the day.
Consumer stocks rose after Wal-Mart said it expects sales to increase 1 to 2 percent this year and 4 to 6 percent next year. The nation's largest retailer also said it would focus on emerging markets when opening stores. Meanwhile, clothing retailer J. Crew Group Inc. raised its earnings forecast because of stronger sales and profit margins.
Financial stocks rose after PNC Financial Services Group Inc. and Fifth Third Bancorp each said that bad loans weren't piling up as fast as they had been. Financials had pulled the market lower Wednesday after an analyst took issue with a profit report at Wells Fargo & Co.
Dow components Travelers Cos., McDonald's Corp., 3M Co. and AT&T Inc. posted stronger results than analysts had forecast.
Adam Gould, senior portfolio manager at Direxion Funds in New York, said the market's bounce on the Wal-Mart forecast illustrates how difficult it is to keep stocks down and allow those who missed the seven-month run to buy shares at lower prices.
"People have wanted to see some type of correction but whenever any earnings come out and beat and whenever any economic news comes out that is decent, the market rallies," he said.
The Dow rose 131.95, or 1.3 percent, to 10,081.31. The index is 11 points below its highest close of the year, which it reached on Monday.
The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 11.51, or 1.1 percent, to 1,092.91. The Nasdaq rose 14.56, or 0.7 percent, to 2,165.29.
Two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to 5.3 billion shares compared with 5.7 billion Wednesday.
Bond prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.42 percent from 3.39 percent late Wednesday.
Mixed economic and earnings reports signal that the economy remains in flux.
The Labor Department said workers filing for unemployment benefits for the first time rose more than expected last week. New claims rose to 531,000 last week from 520,000 the previous week.
Separately, a private forecast of economic activity rose for the sixth straight month in September. The Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators rose 1 percent last month after a 0.4 percent gain in August.
Jeffrey Beamer, Portfolio Manager of Lacerte Capital in Dallas, said earnings reports showing improved profits but still-weak revenue raise questions about whether the market can hold its gains. Cost-cutting, he noted, can only help so much.
"You may look great this quarter but what are you going to do in the coming quarters," Beamer said. "If the earnings aren't just really solid we could get a decent pullback here."
The S&P 500 index is up 61.6 percent from a 12-year low in March.
Wal-Mart slipped 15 cents to $50.48, while J. Crew jumped $5.75, or 15.2 percent, to $43.49.
PNC Financial rose $5.69, or 12.7 percent, to $50.65 and Fifth Third rose 69 cents, or 6.8 percent, to $10.80.
Travelers, the insurer, rose $3.68, or 7.7 percent, to $51.70, while McDonald's advanced $1.17, or 2 percent, to $59.50. Manufacturer 3M advanced $2.46, or 3.2 percent, to $78.79, while AT&T rose 16 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $26.10.
Crude fell 18 cents to settle at $81.19 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while gold fell.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 8.27, or 1.4 percent, to 613.38.
Overseas markets fell after Wednesday's slide in U.S. stocks. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1 percent, Germany's DAX index dropped 1.2 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 1.4 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.6 percent.