Good News Gives Wall Street a Lift
A drop in oil prices and upbeat outlooks from Wal-Mart and Lowe's helped send stocks sharply higher Monday on Wall Street, with the swing exaggerated by thin late summer trading.</br></br>Volume was light on Wall Street, even with the retail sector's rare good news, as many investors were tentative, hoping for better economic news in the week ahead.</br></br>The Dow Jones industrial average gained 129.20, or 1.3 percent, to 9954.55; the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index advanced 14.54, or 1.4 percent, to 1079.34; the Nasdaq composite index was up 25.62, or 1.5 percent, at 1782.84.</br></br>Venezuela's continuity of government eased oil concerns, and a smooth start to the Olympic Games in Athens helped reduce fears of terrorism.</br></br>Wall Street will be looking closely at Tuesday's consumer price index, hoping to see signs that the rise in oil prices this summer have not unduly affected the price of goods and services. A better- than-expected reading could result in an extension of Monday's rally, while a poor reading will likely result in a sell-off, analysts said.