U.S. stocks closed higher as gains in the telecoms, financials and oil and gas sectors pushed stocks higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing 0.15 per cent higher on the New York Stock Exchange.

The S&P 500 finished at a higher close, delivering its strongest performance in the first quarter.

U.S. stocks fell on 26 March, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 dropping for a third consecutive session, as investors awaited economic data to assess the Federal Reserve's policy direction.