US markets rise, shrugging off weak retail sales
US stock markets climbed again on Thursday, shrugging off weak retail sales data as investor bullishness lifted the market. The Commerce Department reported a bigger than expected 0.8 percent decline in January retail sales, a pullback after the holiday season. Auto sales and gas prices also bogged down the overall performance. Stocks were pressured in the early going, but "people woke up in the afternoon and saw the way things were moving and went with that trend," said Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 0.9 percent at 38,773. The S&P 500 gained 0.6 percent to 5,029, while the Nasdaq Composite Index added 0.3 percent at 15,906. Hogan said the market's upswing on Wednesday and Thursday essentially brought it back to its level prior to a sell-off after Tuesday's inflation report. Oil producers Chevron and Apache jumped 3.4 percent and 4.9 percent respectively as crude prices advanced amid rising Middle East tensions. Cisco Systems shares fell 2.4 percent as it became the latest tech giant to announce job cuts. The company will eliminate about five percent of its workforce, or around 4,000 jobs. Deere & Company fell 5.2 percent as it offered a sober view on 2024 industry conditions and its company outlook, projecting lower net sales in each of its three business units. Digital World Acquisition Corp surged 16.1 percent after US securities regulators approved its merger proposal with Trump Media and Technology. This is a step towards completion of the long-outstanding deal involving the former president and current presidential candidate. The transaction still must win shareholder support. (AFP)