US stock markets settled higher on Thursday, as positive data offered a glimmer of optimism and technology provided an additional fillip to the market.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 56.09 points or 0.27 percent to settle at 20,663.02. NASDAQ 100 index gained 45.76 points or 0.82 percent to close at 5,626.31. The broader S&P 500 index add 8.69 points, or 0.37 percent, to 2,365.72.