Weekly jobless claims fall below 300,000 for first time amid pandemic

The report added to the feel-good vibe on Wall Street, where strong earnings results from big banks lifted investors’ economic outlook. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 534.75 points, or 1.6 percent, to close at 34,912.56. The S&P 500 added 74.46 points, or 1.7 percent, to settle at 4,438.26. The tech-heavy Nasdaq surged 251.8 points, or 1.7 percent, to end the session at 14,823.43.