On Thursday, May 9, U.S. stock markets closed higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose for the seventh consecutive day, boosted by positive jobless claims data that heightened hopes for interest rate cuts. According to the economic data, U.S. initial jobless claims rose by 22,000 to 231,000 for the week ending May 4, exceeding the market expectations of 210,000. Ten of the eleven primary S&P sectors experienced gains, with the real estate and energy stocks leading the way. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.85% and closed at 39,387.76. The S&P 500 was up 0.51%, ending the day at 5,214.08, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.27%, finishing the session at 16,346.27. Asian Markets Today On Friday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.49%, ...