NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Stocks crept higher Thursday morning as investors scooped up select tech shares amid optimism about the global economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average (down 0.24 to 11,005.50, Charts), the broader Standard & Poor's 500 (up 1.68 to 1,280.15, Charts) index and the Nasdaq composite (up 3.78 to 2,271.24, Charts) all added a few points.

Blue chip stocks managed to end higher Wednesday, although the Nasdaq was under pressure due to weakness in Google and other technology shares.

The tone remained positive Thursday, with investors taking in stride some disappointing readings on the economy and a modest uptick in oil prices.

While higher bond yields remained a worry, investors may have been relieved to see the ten-year note and the two-year note no longer inverted -- an aberration that can have negative implications for the economy going forward.

Treasury prices slipped, raising the yield on the 10-year note to 4.74 percent from around 4.73 percent late Wednesday -- and not far from a 21-month high hit earlier in the week.

Strength in international markets added support.

In global trade, major Asian markets ended higher with Tokyo's Nikkei rising more than 2.5 percent after the Bank of Japan said it will stop easing interest rates and gradually raise them, reflecting a stronger Japanese economy.

European markets were also mostly higher at midday.

Technology led the early gains, with chip and software stocks particularly strong. Oil stocks also bounced back after several down sessions.

Jobless claims rose by 8,000 to 303,000 last week, according to a report released Thursday morning, exceeding analysts' estimates. A separate report showed that the January trade balance widened to $68.5 in January, versus forecasts for a widening to $66.5 billion.

U.S. light crude oil for April delivery rose 53 cents to $60.55 a barrel in electronic trading.

In currency trading, the dollar was little changed versus the euro and lower versus the yen.

COMEX gold for April delivery fell $4.70 to $549 an ounce.

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