NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are ending modestly higher, led by gains in energy stocks as the price of oil rose.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose nine points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,091 Thursday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 56 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,958. Nasdaq composite rose 23 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,974.

Investors were watching company earnings reports.

Walgreens Boots rose after its income beat analysts' forecasts. Alcoa and Bed Bath & Beyond fell after reporting results that disappointed investors.

The price of oil rose 37 cents to close at $50.79 a barrel in New York. It had plunged nearly 7 percent the day before.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.95 percent.