Wall Street opens higher after claims, retail sales data

US stocks opened modestly higher on Thursday, putting the S&P 500 on track for a second day of gains, after better-than-expected data on retail sales and the labour market.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 22.09 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 16,362.17.

The S&P 500 gained 3.24 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 1,871.44.

The Nasdaq Composite added 14.047 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 4,337.379.

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