Walmart earnings help.

Walmart earnings beat this morning on both the top and bottom lines. Gains were as a result of strong online sales. Same-store sales rose for the 13th consecutive quarter, and the retail raised its fiscal year 2018 earnings-per-share guidance. All good news. Walmart shares are up over 6%.

That, and stronger European and Asian stocks are helping to give the US market a lift.

  • S&P index is higher by 12.57 points or +0.5% at 2577
  • NASDAQ index is higher by 45 points or 0.67% at 6751.52
  • Dell industrial average is higher by 145 points or 0.62% at 23415.59

In the US debt market, rates are also rebounding to the upside in trading today:

  • two-year yield 1.704%, +2 basis points
  • five-year yield 2.063%, +3.1 basis points
  • 10 year 2.354%, 3.1 basis points
  • 30 year 2.796%, +3.1 basis points

In other markets a snapshot shows:

  • Spot gold trading up $.83 or 0.07% at $1278.90
  • WTI crude oil futures down $.21 or -0.38% at $55.12
  • European stocks are higher. German DAX up 0.6%. France Up 0.8%. UK FTSE up 0.16%
  • European 10 year notes are trading mixed. Germany unchanged at 0.374%. France unchanged at 0.729%. UK 1.299%, up 1.3 basis points. Spain 1.548%, unchanged. Italy 1.847%, +1.1 basis points. Portugal 1.985%, -1.3 basis points