U.S. Stocks End Higher, Building On Prior Day's Rally

U.S. stocks closed higher on Thursday, adding to strong gains made a day earlier, as retail sales provided more evidence of a strengthening economy. But the main indexes finished off their session peaks, pulling back after the International Monetary Fund left negotiation talks with debt-ladened Greece. The S&P 500 rose by 3.66 points, or 0.2%, to end at 2,108.66, according to early data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average [s:DJIA] gained 38.97 points, or 0.2%, to close at 18,039.37.