US shares soared higher again at the open.
The Dow Jones gained 0.62% or 113 points to 18,603. Other indices were equally strong.
The S&P500 added 0.42% to 2,184, while the tech heavy Nasdaq added 0.32% to 5,221.
Better than expected economic data fuelled the rise. Weekly jobless claims stayed below 300,000, while the import/export price indices both rose slightly.
Earnings bolstered retailers Macy’s (NYSE:M) up 16% to US$39.51 and Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) up 14% to US$43.28.
Macy’s sales in the three months came in at US$5.866bn, down 3.9% when compared with the US$6.1bn in the same period last year.
The firm also restated its previous sales and earnings guidance for full-year 2016, which better than expected.
Chesapeake (NYSE:CHK) rose 4% to US$$4.99 on news it is to sell its interests in the Barnett Shale.
Beleaguered pharma group Valeant slumped 9.4% to US$24.75 as the Wall Street Journal reported investigators are probing whether it had hidden its links to mail order distributor Philidor.