Stocks eke out small gains after wild session, Apple leads tech higher; European markets close lower on concerns for the global economy; UK announces jobs plan; BELEX15 up 0.47% 
Stocks rose slightly on Thursday as tech shares recovered some of their recent losses while traders weighed the latest batch of economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 52.31 points higher, or 0.2%, at 26,815.44. At its session low, the Dow was down 226 points. The 30-stock Dow was also up more than 300 points earlier in the day. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to 3,246.59 and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.4% to 10,672.27. 
Apple and Microsoft shares rose 1% and 1.3%, respectively, to lead tech higher. Alphabet shares gained nearly 1% and Amazon advanced 0.7%. Netflix was up 0.5% and Facebook advanced 0.2%. 
First-time claims for state unemployment benefits totaled 870,000 for the week ending Sept. 19, higher than a Dow Jones estimate of 850,000. Continuing claims — which include those who have received unemployment benefits for at least two straight weeks — declined slightly but were still higher than forecast. 
Census Bureau reported that new home sales in the U.S. totaled just over 1 million in August. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected a gain of 898,000. 

European stocks closed lower Thursday as investors’ hopes for an economic recovery following the coronavirus pandemic faltered amid a second wave of cases. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed down by 1% provisionally, with most sectors and all major bourses trading in negative territory. Retail shares led the selling action, declining 2.2%. 
Norway’s Nel dropped 11% as Nikola’s tumble stateside continues to drag down green energy stocks. At the top of the Stoxx 600, Banco BPM jumped almost 6% after its CEO said Italy’s third-largest bank is on alert for further consolidation among the country’s lenders. 

BELELX15 was down 0.47% as Komercijana lost 0.61%, neutralizing gains at NIS, Belgrade Airport and Energoprojekt. NIS was the most active with RSD 1.1m. Bonds were traded at a huge EUR 14m volume. There were no major news from the corporate or macro side. 
Source: CNBC, Ilirika