Claims Data Give Wall Street Rally Legs

Stock-index futures climbed Thursday, continuing a rally that has taken stocks up sharply from bear-market lows, after new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week.

About 45 minutes before the start of trading in New York, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up by around 30 points. S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were also higher. Changes in futures do not always accurately predict early market moves after the opening bell.