U.S. stocks rose Thursday on positive economic data.

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve said regional manufacturing in June has had its strongest growth since April 2005. The bank's index of regional manufacturing activity jumped to 18 from 4.2 in May.

The conference Board reported Thursday that the Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators increased 0.3 percent in May, following a 0.3 percent decline in April.

Crude prices fell amid a general strike in Nigeria, Africa's largest crude oil producer. Light, sweet crude fell 21 cents to 68.65 dollars per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 56.42, or 0.42 percent, to 13,545.84. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 9.35, or 0.62 percent, to 1,522.19 and the Nasdaq composite index rose 17.00, or 0.65 percent, to 2,616.96.