US Stocks Rally With Recovering Domestic Economy In Focus

US stocks began to rally today as investors took their eyes off the European debt crisis and concentrated on the improving state of the domestic economy. Today results from the manufacturing sector have also signaled recovery, with exports rising in March. At 12:37 pm, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 103.08 points, or 0.96%, to 10,851.34. The S&P 500 Index had gained 10.52 points, or 0.91% and the Nasdaq Composite Index had climbed 35.42 points, or 1.49%. Of the 30 components in the Dow, 24 were rising. Gains at the index were led by heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc CAT, which was up 2.9%, chemical giant DuPont DD that climbed 2.5% and industrial conglomerate 3M Company MMM, which moved up 1.7% after the company declared a cash dividend for a 375th successive quarter late yesterday. Technology stocks climbed the most on the S&P 500 and consumer staples was the only industry group out of ten, which did not gain. According to Bruce McCain, a chief investment strategist at Key Private Bank, "There is an underlying question of whether the overall global recovery is going to be sustainable into a longer-term expansion. We think it will." Read more from Benzinga's Markets. Come to the LA Traders Expo and learn from the top traders in the industry!