US stocks ended modestly higher on Thursday even as investors closely watch the release of key inflation data on Friday. The Commerce Department is due to release its report on personal income and spending in the month of May, which includes readings on inflation said to be preferred by the Federal Reserve. Among the major averages, Dow crept up 36.25 points or 0.1 percent to 39,164.06, the Nasdaq rose 53.53 points or 0.3 percent to 17,858.68 and the S&P 500 inched up 4.97 points or 0.1 percent to 5,482.87. However, most of the major sectors showed only modest moves on the day, contributing to the lackluster performance by the broader markets.
