U.S. stocks rose, adding to the biggest weekly rally since April, after oil's drop below $115 a barrel boosted retailers and credit card companies.
All but one of the 29 companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Retailing Index advanced as crude retreated for a second day and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said Wal-Mart Stores Inc. may increase its profit forecast. Financial shares contributed the most to the S&P 500's gain as American Express Co., Discover Financial Services and Capital One Financial Corp. climbed more than 2 percent each.
The S&P 500 advanced 9 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,305.32 after jumping 2.9 percent last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 48.03, or 0.4 percent, to 11,782.35, its highest level since June 25. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 25.85, or 1.1 percent, to 2,439.95. Almost five stocks rose for every two that dropped on the New York Stock Exchange.
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