US stocks were higher on Tuesday after strong earnings were posted by several retailers, led by Home Depot Inc, and after US economic reports for July showed that inflationary pressure was held in check and housing starts rebounded sharply.
Motorola Inc, the world's second-largest mobile phone maker, helped markets after it said it expects to sustain strong sales growth in the second half of 2004.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 17.86 points, or 0.18 percent, at 9,972.41. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 2.66 points, or 0.25 percent, to 1,082.00. The technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index rose 12.86 points, or 0.72 percent, to 1,795.70.