U.S. Stocks Close Higher Ahead of Jobs Report; Chesapeake Energy Leads S&P 500

U.S. stocks wrapped up Thursday’s session to the upside as investors anxiously awaited Friday’s jobs report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.26 percent, the S&P 500 gained 0.35 percent, while the Nasdaq eked out a 0.09 percent gain. Economists expect nonfarm payrolls to rise by 190,000. This is the final labor report before the Federal Reserve's March meeting. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate wrapped up Thursday's session at $34.72 a barrel after a volatile day of trading. Brent crude, the international price for oil, eclipsed $37 a barrel. Energy stocks were the bright spot for the day. Chesapeake Energy (CHK), Southwestern Energy (SWN) and Ensco (ESV) were the best performing stocks in the S&P 500. Finally, Yahoo!'s (YHOO) chief financial officer said it's looking to sell $1-$3 billion worth of non-core assets or patents. This as the tech giant faces pressure from activist shareholders. TheStreet’s Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.