US markets find gains Monday

New York stock markets moved higher Monday after the Commerce Department said retail sales rose 1.1 percent in September over August. The sales bump matched the 1.2 percent increase a month earlier, but beat economists' expectations, which called for a 0.8 percent gain in September. A mid-month report on New York State manufacturing indicated business activity fell in the state for the third consecutive month, but at a slower decline than September. The New York Federal Reserve's diffuse index of business activity rose four points to minus 6.2. In early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 93.26 points, 0.7 percent to 13,422.11. The Nasdaq composite index, added 11.88 points, 0.39 percent, to 3,055.99. The Standard and Poor's 500 index added 8.89 points or 0.62 percent to 1,437.48. The benchmark 10-year treasury note fell 3/32 to yield 1.672 percent. The euro fell to $1.2946 from Friday's $1.2953. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 78.74 yen from 78.44 yen. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index added 0.51 percent, 43.81 points, to 8,577.93. In London, the FTSE 100 index gained 0.21 percent, 12.29, to 5,805.61.