LIVE MARKETS-Wall Street tries to look on the bright side of economic data

Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com

WALL STREET TRIES TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF ECONOMIC DATA

The main U.S. indexes are choppy early on Monday, but are posting modest gains after the latest batch of economic data gave some mixed readings about the U.S. economy.

The Commerce Department's Census Bureau said U.S. retail sales grew in February, suggesting continued Q1 economic growth though the pace was moderate with tariffs and mass firings of federal government workers weighing on sentiment.

Retail sales rose 0.2% vs economist expectations for 0.6% after a revised 1.2% decline in January vs previously reported 0.9% January drop.

Meanwhile the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said its Empire Sate manufacturing index plunged this month by nearly 26 points - the largest drop since May 2023 - to negative 20.0 reading. New orders fell sharply with input prices climbing at their fastest in more than two years.

Like the data itself, the investor commentary was mixed.

"The only signs of a bounce-back in spending from January’s weather-induced slump, and stocking up ahead of tariffs, was in online spending. Sentiment is often a horrible predictor of spending, but the good vibes that have propped up spending are now a distant memory," said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

And Adam Sarhan, Chief Executive at 50 Park Investments in New York said: "Investors are looking for any type of positive bullish catalyst in this environment when uncertainty is so elevated. Any news or data that is not the-end-of-the-world kind of data is being received well."

Here is your trading snapshot from 10:15 a.m ET/ 1415 GMT:

(Sinéad Carew, Chuck Mikolajczak, Caroline Valetkevitch)

FOR MONDAY'S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS:

S&P 500 INDEX: MIGHT THE SEASONAL CHANGE SPARK A FRESH START? - CLICK HERE

ESG’S DEFENCE DILEMMA - CLICK HERE

JPM UPGRADES "ACCIDENTAL BENEFICIARY" EM STOCKS - CLICK HERE

WALL STREET: A 'TRADABLE RALLY' IS IN THE AIR - CLICK HERE

STOCKS TICK HIGHER AS OIL PROVIDES LIFT, RETAILERS DRAG - CLICK HERE

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: TRADERS MULL POSITIVE CHINA SIGNALS, GEOPOLITICS - CLICK HERE

EUROPE, CHINA SHINE AS US EXCEPTIONALISM FADES - CLICK HERE