U.S. Stocks Rise About 1% on Strong Jobs Report

U.S. stocks were solidly higher Thursday as investors cheered the release of two stronger-than-anticipated reports on the jobs market.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 96 points, or 0.8 percent; the S&P 500 was up 13 points, or 1 percent; and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 38 points, or 1.4 percent.

Retail stocks were the top performers Thursday after several retailers reported better-than-expected June sales. Urban Outfitters was the best performer on the S&P 500, up more than 6 percent, followed closely by Target, Kohl's and Limited Brands.