NEW YORK, Dec 14 — Wall Street stocks advanced early today, adding to the Dow’s record, following solid US data and as central banks in Europe and Britain held interest rates steady.

Retail sales in the United States rose unexpectedly in November, with consumer spending holding up despite higher interest rates.

Meanwhile, the European Central Bank and Bank of England both kept interest rates unchanged, following the US Federal Reserve’s move yesterday to hold rates steady also while inflation recedes.

Analysts rated the Fed’s announcement as "dovish” after Chair Jerome Powell signaled plans to cut rates in 2024.

About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2 per cent at 37,149.42.

The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.6 per cent to 4,733.14, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 0.7 per cent to 14,837.93. — AFP