U.S. stocks edged higher on Thursday as a fresh slate of economic data and corporate earnings reports continued to paint a mixed picture of the economy's direction.

U.S. stocks are climbing in 2023, and shares of companies abroad are performing even better.

Investor sentiment in the Asia-Pacific region was lifted by expectations of cooled inflation in the United States. Most markets in the region rose as a result.

U.S. stock futures retreated on Monday, suggesting that the recent rally in the stock market could pause this week as investors parse fourth-quarter results to see how higher interest rates are affecting major companies.

A top Chinese official has announced that investigations into the financial businesses of several internet companies have been completed, signalling an end to a two-year regulatory crackdown on China's homegrown technology giants.