U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, but were off their session highs, aided by rising commodity prices and improving labor market conditions, along with a sharp drop in interest rates. Earlier, after the government's 30-year bond auction met solid demand, all three stock indexes had risen above 1 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 31.90 points, or 0.37 percent, to close unofficially at 8,770.92, well off its session high of 8,877.93. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 5.74 points, or 0.61 percent, to 944.89, below its session high of 956.23. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 9.29 points, or 0.50 percent, to close unofficially at 1,862.37, off its session high at 1,879.92.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jan Paschal)

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