It has been reported that U. S. markets pulled higher late Thursday after spending most of the day dragged down by weak economic data.

Initial jobless benefit claims rose by 2,000 in the week ending June 12, the Department of Labor has said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, in another indication that employers are not hiring, said that consumer prices dropped for the second consecutive month,

Although a drop in energy prices led the declines, high unemployment does not support consumer price increases.

The Dow Jones industrial average, by close, added 24.71 points, 0.24 percent, to 10,434.17.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 0.13 percent, 1.43 points, to 1,116.04.

It was also reported that the Nasdaq composite index rose 0.05 percent, 1.23 points, to 2,307.16.

1,489 shares advanced and 1,506 declined on a volume of 4.5 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The benchmark 10-year U. S. Treasury note rose 20/32 to yield 3.191 percent.

From Wednesday's $1.2303, the euro rose to $1.2377. The dollar, against the yen, fell to 90.97 yen from Wednesday's 91.41 yen. (With Inputs from Agencies)