Healthcare helps Wall St. to slight gains; jobs report next

Wall Street closed slightly higher on Thursday as fresh data gave a rosier view of the economy and further gains for healthcare shares countered declines in energy names. The S&P 500 ended at its highest closing level in seven months, while the Nasdaq minted its seventh straight day of gains. Investors now await Friday's payrolls report as they evaluate economic data to determine whether the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates as soon as its June 14-15 meeting.