Stocks bounced back on Thursday from a 3 percent drop in the previous session as investors latched onto positive corporate and economic news in the absence of a clear worsening of Europe's debt crisis.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 113.07 points, or 0.96 percent, to 11,894.01, according to the latest available figures. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 10.59 points, or 0.86 percent, to 1,239.69. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 3.50 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,625.15.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)