Markets Right Now: Retailers lead US stocks higher

NEW YORK (AP) – The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

9:35 a.m.

A strong batch of earnings from retailers including Best Buy is sending stock prices higher in early trading on Wall Street.

Best Buy soared 12 percent early Thursday after reporting earnings and sales that came in well ahead of what analysts were expecting.

Williams-Sonoma gained 3.9 percent and PVH, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, rose 5.4 percent.

The market has risen for five straight days. If it closes higher again on Thursday it will mark the longest winning streak in three months.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index increased 4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,409.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 52 points, or 0.3 percent, to 21,064. The Nasdaq composite climbed 16 points, or 0.3 percent, to 6,179.