U.S. Stocks Open HigherAfter China Promises Tariff Retaliation

U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday after a series of trade-related headlines spurred more volatility overnight and the latest retail sales figures beat estimates, helping to assuage some concerns about economic growth.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose 0.3% in early trading.

The swings come a day after the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its steepest drop this year on growing fears of a recession. Shares in Walmart rose in premarket trading, while shares in networking-equipment giant Cisco Systems and conglomerate General Electric...