Stocks opened modestly higher following retail sales that came in well above expectations and jobless claims that were lower, together validating the U.S. economy’s strength. The S&P 500 was up 0.1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq was up 0.2%. “While consumer spending is likely to decelerate in the coming months on the back of the tariff increases, the slowdown has so far been much less than the previously feared Wile E. Coyote moment,” writes Richard de Chazal from William Blair.
