US open: Stocks open higher as investors digest retail sales, await key data

10th Feb 2026 14:55

(Sharecast News) - US stocks were in the green at the opening bell on Tuesday after hitting another all-time high in the previous session.

As of 1505 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.70% at 50,484.64, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.20% to 6,979.09 and the Nasdaq Composite came out of the gate 0.09% firmer at 23,260.61.

The Dow opened 348.77 points higher on Tuesday as investors digested news that retail sales were virtually flat month-on-month in December at $735bn, according to the Census Bureau, only slightly short of November's revised $735.1bn reading. Total sales for 2025 were up 3.7% from 2024, while total fourth-quarter sales were up 3.0%. Economists were expecting to see a 0.5% month-on-month increase to the headline figure. Retail trade sales were virtually unchanged from November, and up 2.1% year-on-year, while sales at non-store retailers were up 5.3%, and food service and drinking places sales were up 4.7%.

Tuesday's retail sales figures come ahead of the week's first major data release in the form of Wednesday's belated jobs report, which could provide the basis for a potential dovish shift in sentiment for the Federal Reserve.

Elsewhere on the macro front, the National Federation of Independent Business' January small business optimism index fell to 99.3 in January, down from 99.5 in December and short of forecasts for a reading of 99.9. Of the ten components of the index, three increased and seven decreased. Expected real sales volume was the only component with substantial change, increasing by six points to a net reading of 16%. Additionally, 60% reported capital outlays in the last six months, up four points from December to the highest level since November 2023.

On another note, import prices increased 0.1% in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while export prices advanced 0.3%. Over the past year, import prices were unchanged and export prices increased 3.1%.

Finally, US business inventories increased by 0.1% month-on-month in November, according to the Census Bureau, short of both consensus estimates of 0.2% and Occtober's 0.3% increase.

In the corporate space, soft drinks giant Coca-Cola's Q4 revenues fell short of expectations amid weak consumer demand, while CVS Health posted Q4 earnings and revenue that beat estimates, leading it to reaffirm its FY profit guidance.

Streaming outfit Spotify added a record number of monthly users in Q4 as it hit 290m paid subscribers, toymaker Hasbro swung to a profit in Q4 but forecast annual revenue that was below Wall Street estimates amidst a consumer push back on non-essential purchases due to economic uncertainty, and iconic motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson traded lower in early market action as weak FY26 guidance overshadowed its Q4 beat.

Ford and Lyft will both report earnings after the close.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com