U.S. stocks end higher after choppy session

The U.S. stocks ended modestly higher after a choppy session on Wednesday, as strong earnings from retailers helped lift the market. All major indexes gained less than 0.5 percent.

The trading was extremely light throughout the day, which was expected by investors as they are trying to figure out whether the advance in the previous session was the start of a turnaround or just a one-shot deal.

With no economic data scheduled for release, the market continued to look for recovery signs in corporate earnings.

Retail giant Target gained after fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 14 percent as cost-cutting helped overcome disappointing sales. Target also said it is making significant headway in getting its credit-card business back on track.

Retailer Chico's FAS, which also operates the Soma Intimates and White House/Black Market chains, jumped after reporting second- quarter profits that more than doubled the year-ago level, beating analysts' expectation.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.69 points, or 0.09 percent, to 10,415.54. The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged up 1. 62 points, or 0.15 percent, to 1,094.16 and the Nasdaq was up 6.26 points, or 0.28 percent, to 2,215.70.

Source:Xinhua