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(AP) — A sudden drop in claims for unemployment benefits helped push the Standard & Poor's 500 index above 1,500 for the first time since December 2007.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 66 points at 13,846 as of 12:10 p.m. EST. The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged up 5 points to 1,500. The S&P 500 last closed above 1,500 on Dec. 10, 2007. It's already up 5.1 percent this year and has risen over the previous six days.

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