Stocks closed Thursday higher, as investors pondered the Federal Reserve's "hawkish pause" and digested a deluge of economic data. The Dow added more than 400 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq logged their sixth-straight wins and settled at roughly 14-month highs. At June's halfway point, the major indexes are vastly outperforming their average returns for the historically weak month. 

OIL PRICES CLEAR KEY PRICE POINT

Oil futures cleared the $70 mark once again, after July-dated crude added $2.35, or 3.4%, to close at $70.62 per barrel. These gains came on the back of optimistic demand signs out of China, as well as strengthening U.S. demand ahead of the summer season.

Gold prices rallied from earlier losses despite the Federal Reserve's "hawkish pause." August-dated gold gained $1.80, or 0.1%, to close at $1,970.70 an ounce today.

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