US stocks close higher, driven by tech, banking sectors

US stocks closed higher on Thursday, supported by positive performance in the technology and banking sectors, as the fourth-quarter 2025 earnings season got underway, alongside easing geopolitical tensions related to Iran.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.60%, or about 292 points, to 49,442 points.

The broader S&P 500 index gained 0.26%, or 17 points, to 6,944 points, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.25%, or 58 points, to 23,530 points.

In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 index climbed 0.50% to 614.57 points, marking a record closing level.

Germany’s DAX rose 0.25% to 25,352 points, and the UK’s FTSE 100 advanced 0.55% to 10,238 points, while France’s CAC 40 declined 0.2% to 8,313 points.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index fell 0.40% to 54,110 points, while the broader Topix index jumped 0.40% to close at a record high of 3,668 points.

In oil markets, Brent crude futures for March delivery fell 4.15%, or $2.76, to $63.76 per barrel.

US Nymex crude futures for February delivery declined 4.56%, or $2.83, to $59.19 per barrel.

As for gold, futures for February delivery slipped 0.26%, or $12, to settle at $4,623.70 per ounce.

Meanwhile, official data released today showed that initial jobless claims in the US fell by 9,000 last week, contrary to expectations of an increase of 8,000 claims, reinforcing confidence in the resilience of the US labor market.