Stocks tick higher on economic data before fed statement

The U.S. market is quiet for a third day in a row but mostly higher following a raft of generally positive economic reports.

Investors are looking forward to the Federal Reserve’s comments on the state of the economy later in the day. Oil prices are rising on reports that major energy-producing nations will discuss curbing oil production.

Wednesday’s reports showed rising core inflation, stronger new home construction, and improving factory production.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 6 points, less than one percent, to 17,257 as of 11:55 a.m. Eastern time.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 1 point to 2,017. The Nasdaq composite rose 11 points to 4,740.

Bond prices fell slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.98 percent.