Stronger economic reports help stocks rebound

NEW YORK - Signs that the U.S. economy is improving are helping investors put aside fears over Japan's nuclear crisis, if only temporarily.

Manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region jumped to its highest point since 1984. Meanwhile the Labor Department said fewer people applied for unemployment benefits than economists were expecting.

Gains in the stock market were broad Thursday. All 10 company groups in the Standard and Poor's index rose.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 161, or 1.4 percent, to close at 11,775. The S&P 500 index rose 17, or 1.3 percent, to 1,274. The Nasdaq composite rose 19, or 0.7 percent, to 2,636.

Three stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 4.2 billion shares.