U.S. stocks ended higher in trading on Thursday, as a decline in oil prices and a proposed selling of automaker Chrysler.

News in the afternoon of a proposed bid for Chrysler Group by billionaire Kirk Kerkorian affected the indexes. Shares of General Motors also rose after the news, boosting the Dow Jones.

U.S. crude oil futures fell for a third day, with Iran tensions easing as the fourth largest oil exporter freed British military personnel after a two-week stand-off.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose be 30.15 points, or 0.24 percent, to 12,560.20. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 4.39 points, or 0.30 percent, at 1,443.76. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 12.65 points, or 0.51 percent, to 2,471.34.

The S&P rose for a fourth day, while the Nasdaq was up for six days, both matching winning streaks of a little more than two months ago.

For this week, the Dow increased 1.7 percent, the S&P rose 1.6 percent and the Nasdaq gained 2.1 percent.