Strong Retail Sales Boost Stocks

The U.S. stock market was buoyed by retail sales results, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 71.8 points, or 0.56 percent on Monday.

Pedestrians carry shopping bags as they walk along Broadway in New York City on April 16. Despite high gas prices, the Commerce Department reported yesterday that retail sales beat expectations in March with a 0.8 percent rise. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images