US stocks again closed higher Thursday as the continuing rebound in oil prices gave energy companies a lift.

    The Dow Jones industrial average picked up 23.76 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,597.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 added 4.80 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,187.02. The Nasdaq composite rose 11.49 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,240.15.