US: Wall St opens higher after retail sales data

[NEW YORK] US stocks opened higher on Thursday after better-than-expected retail sales data, the latest sign that a recovery in the US economy was gaining momentum.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 30.03 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 18,030.43, the S&P 500 gained 3.44 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 2,108.64 and the Nasdaq Composite added 11.17 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 5,087.86.

REUTERS