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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks climbed Thursday morning, as upbeat readings of third-quarter productivity and October retail sales inspired investors to build on the previous session's runup.

The S&P 500 (up 12.00 to 1,214.76, Charts) index, the Dow Jones industrial average (up 65.96 to 10,472.73, Charts) and the Nasdaq composite (up 30.26 to 2,144.31, Charts) all gained in the early going, with the Nasdaq the most buoyant.

Gains were broad based, with 25 out of 30 Dow components advancing.

Stocks surged Wednesday as investors stepped back into beaten-down shares amid increased optimism about the economy.

That optimism was given further support Thursday, by a strong read on productivity and some upbeat retail sales.

Third-quarter business productivity grew at a 4.1 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, the Labor Department said early Thursday, versus an upwardly revised 2.1 percent annualized rate in the second quarter. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com thought it would grow at a 2.5 percent rate.

A number of retailers reported October same-store sales, or sales at stores open a year or more.

Wal-Mart Stores (unchanged at $47.56, Research) said same-store sales rose 4.3 percent in the month, meeting its recently raised forecast. Shares gained 1 percent.

Nordstrom (unchanged at $35.75, Research) said same-store sales rose 6.4 percent in the month, sending its shares higher.

September factory orders and the Institute for Supply Management's read on the services sector of the economy were due around 30 minutes after the start of trade.

Among other movers, Priceline.com (unchanged at $19.50, Research) jumped after the company reported higher quarterly earnings late Wednesday that topped estimates.

U.S. light crude oil for December delivery rose 57 cents to $60.32 a barrel in electronic trading.

Treasury prices were little changed, with the yield on the 10-year note holding at 4.60 percent.

The dollar gained versus the euro and was little changed against the yen.

COMEX gold fell $2.80 to $461.80 an ounce.

In global trade, major Asian markets ended higher and European shares gained at midday.