The S&P 500 rose for a sixth day in a row on Thursday as investors took solace in the Federal Reserve’s patient stance on raising interest rates. Stronger-than-expected economic data also boosted sentiment.

The broad equity benchmark gained 0.4% to hit another record close of 4,680.06.

The central bank said it will begin to slow its bond-buying program later this month, signaling that the economy can now handle an unwinding of pandemic stimulus. Investors had long anticipated the move and liked that the Fed did not signal it would be any more aggressive than necessary in raising interest rates once the bond tapering was finished next year.

The S&P 500 is up 1.6% for the week, pushing its year-to-date return up to 24.6% as the benchmark enters a seasonally strong part of the year for markets.

On the data front, U.S. jobless claims totaled 269,000 for the week ended Oct. 30, the lowest pandemic-era total and better than the 275,000 expected by economists polled by Dow Jones.

Stock futures were muted in early morning trading Friday ahead of the highly anticipated October jobs report.

Investors are awaiting the release of October nonfarm payroll numbers Friday morning. Consensus estimates call for 450,000 jobs added, according to Dow Jones. September’s report tallied 194,000 additional jobs, far short of the 500,000 estimate.

The Nasdaq Composite notched its ninth consecutive positive session, rising 0.8% to a record close. 

Market participants digested the Federal Reserve’s plan to begin tapering its pandemic aid by the end of November, putting the central bank on track to end its asset purchase program by the middle of next year.

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Plan A : Remain short as long as oil price stays below 80.4. Targets are 79.5 and 78.2.

Plan B : Consider long if oil price trades firmly above 79.5 and rebound. Targets are 80.3 and 81.5.

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Plan A : Attempt long if gold price trades firmly above 1781.8. Targets are 1791 and 1800.5.