NEW YORK, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street traded higher Thursday on lower crude prices and mixed economic data.

    The U.S. Labor Department reported that initial claims for unemployment declined by 5,000 last week from the previous week. However, the number still stayed at a high level, showing the U.S. job market remains strained.

    The New York-based Conference Board said Thursday its economic indicators rose 0.1 percent in May, matching expectations of economists. The increase in the indicators, a measure of future economic activity, equaled April's 0.1 percent advance.

    The manufacturing report from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve weighed on stocks after its release that a drop in demand and increases in commodities prices continuously troubled businesses.

    Oil prices dropped sharply Thursday on the news that China will raise domestic fuel prices and Iraq's potential output increase.

    The Nasdaq rose more than 1.3 percent to 2,462.07 as technology companies benefited from tumbling oil prices, seen as easing strains on global economic growth.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 33.62 points, or 0.28 percent, to 12,062.68 while the Standard & Poor's 500 index was up5.04 points to 1,342.85.