NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Thursday for a third straight day, with the S&P 500 at a 2-1/2 month high as earnings from technology companies as well as hopes for more monetary stimulus outweighed weak economic data.
Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 34.66 points, or 0.27 percent, at 12,943.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 3.73 points, or 0.27 percent, at 1,376.51. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 23.30 points, or 0.79 percent, at 2,965.90.
(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)
