US STOCKS-Wall St advances on retailers; Alcoa gains

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 12 - U.S. stocks advanced on
Thursday, lifting the Dow to a record, after major retailers,
including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. posted surprisingly
strong monthly sales figures, boosting optimism about the
outlook for profits.




Shares of Alcoa hit a record high, rising after Alcoa was
outbid in its attempt to acquire rival Alcan Inc.



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Retailers say better weather warms sales

(Reuters) - But several specialty apparel chains posted sales gains that missed analysts' estimates, due in part to weak sales of women's clothes.




Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the world's largest retailer, said sales at stores open at least a year rose 1.1 percent in May, excluding fuel sales. Including fuel, sales rose 1.3 percent as weakness in apparel and home goods was offset by strength of lawn and garden goods, live plants and groceries.


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U.S. Stocks Rise, Led by Energy Producers; Wal-Mart Stores, XTO Advance

(Bloomberg) -- America's equity benchmarks climbed
to records again on analyst upgrades of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and
a rise in oil prices that buoyed energy shares.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, led the Standard &
Poor's 500 Index to its fourth consecutive peak and the Dow
Jones Industrial Average to its 27th this year after four
brokerages recommended the company because of its planned $15
billion share-buyback plan. Oil and gas companies climbed to a
high after the price of crude surged above $66 a barrel on
concern supplies from Nigeria may be disrupted.


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