The Dow Jones industrial average rose 18 points or 0.14% to 12,734. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index climbed 4 points or 0.35% to 1,328. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 17 points or 0.63% to 2,866.

Initial unemployment claims decreased by 12,000 to 367,000 last week, better than the 375,000 expected. Meanwhile, data showed US nonfarm labor productivity rose by 0.7% in 4Q, slightly below expectations. Unit labor costs rose by 1.2%, higher than the expected 0.8% rise.

European markets were higher, with the Stoxx Europe 600 up 0.3%. Talks between Greece and its private creditors remain unresolved at time of writing.

Gold rose 0.5% to $1,758 an ounce, while crude oil futures dropped 0.9% to $96.75 a barrel.