NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices rose above 75 U.S. dollars a barrel on Thursday as encouraging jobless and home sale data boosted market confidence in recovery.

The Labor Department reported that the total number of people filling for first time jobless benefits fell 6,000 to 472,000 in the week ended on August 28, the second straight weekly drop.

As Thursday's jobless data fell slightly below the level economists had forecast, which was somewhat encouraging ahead of Friday's government monthly non-farm payrolls report.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Realtors said its pending home sales index, based on contracts signed in July, increased 5.2 percent from the previous month's downwardly revised levels.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery gained 1.11 dollars to settle at 75.02 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude for October delivery rose 58 cents to settle at 76. 93 dollars a barrel on the International Futures Exchange in London.