Stocks jump as retail sales rebound in October

Investors are growing more upbeat about the economy following an increase in retail sales and as a weaker dollar sends commodity prices higher. Major stock indexes are up more than 1 percent Monday at new 13-month highs. The Commerce Department says retail sales rose 1.4 percent in October in part because of higher auto sales. That was better than forecast. A slumping dollar is lifting gold to a new record and pumping up prices of other commodities. The gains come as investors await an afternoon speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on the economy. At midday, the Dow Jones industrial average is up 135 at 10,406. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is up 17 at 1,111. The Nasdaq composite index is up 31 at 2,199.