US equity indexes rose Thursday, driven by gains in technology stocks, while other sectors fell as the partial federal government entered its second day.

* US employers planned 54,064 job cuts in September, a decline from 85,979 in August and lower a year earlier, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

* The Labor Department did not release its weekly jobless claims report at the scheduled time Thursday due to the shutdown.

* November West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell $1.16 to settle at $60.62 per barrel, while December Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $1.08 to $64.27.

* Fair Isaac (FICO) shares rose 18%, the biggest gain on the S&P 500, after the company launched a direct license program enabling third-party firms to calculate and distribute FICO Scores.

* Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) agreed to buy Occidental Petroleum's (OXY) chemical unit, OxyChem, for $9.7 billion in cash. Occidental shares fell 7.3%, the second-biggest decline on the S&P.