NEW YORK (AP) — The latest on developments in global financial markets (all times local):

4:00 p.m.

Stocks are closing higher on Wall Street, led by gains in high-dividend stocks a day after the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates low.

The newly created real estate sector did the best in the Standard & Poor's 500 index Thursday. That group was spun off last week from the financials category, which includes banks and insurance companies.

With their high dividends, real estate stocks did well as investors seeking income looked beyond bonds, whose yields have been falling.

Phone companies, another group of high dividend payers, also climbed. AT&T rose 1.3 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 98 points, or 0.5 percent, to 18,392.

The S&P 500 rose 14 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,177. The Nasdaq composite climbed 44 points, or 0.8 percent, to 5,339.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are moving higher on Wall Street in midday trading.

High-dividend payers like real estate and phone companies rose Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rate near their historic lows.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 114 points, or 0.6 percent, to 18,408.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 11 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,174. The Nasdaq composite climbed 33 points, or 0.6 percent, to 5,325.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.61 percent.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street as energy stocks rise along with the price of crude oil.

Adding to their gains from a day earlier, oil and gas stocks snapped higher in early trading Thursday. Murphy Oil jumped 4 percent.

Materials companies also gained. Copper miner Freeport-McMoRan rose 4 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 131 points, or 0.7 percent, to 18,425.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 15 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,178. The Nasdaq composite climbed 33 points, or 0.6 percent, to 5,325.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.63 percent.