Wall Street stock futures climbed Tuesday, as investors welcomed better-than-expected quarterly results from Goldman Sachs and a rise in U.S. retail sales.

Before the opening bell, Goldman Sachs said its second-quarter earnings jumped 65%. The investment-banking giant’s results widely beat analysts’ views on a smashing performance at its trading operations.

U.S. banks J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. are all expected to report second-quarter results later in the week.

U.S. retail sales also beat expectations. Retail sales climbed 0.6% in June, after rising an unrevised 0.5% in May, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday. Economists had forecast a 0.5% increase in June.

The second montly gain in a row was caused by purchases of gasoline and automobiles.

Here at home, the Canadian dollar rose 0.6 of a cent to US87.42¢.

In commodities news, the August gold contract on the Nymex rose US$2.30 to US$924.80 an ounce, while the August crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose US$1.38 topping US$61 a barrel.

In Asia, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average gained 211.48 points, or 2.3%, to 9,261.81, erasing most of the previous day’s decline. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng soared 631.10, or 3.7%, to 17,885.7.

In Europe, the UK’s FTSE 100 index gained 1.1%, Frankfurt’s DAX was up 1.37% while the Paris CAC 40 moved ahead 1.14%.

On Monday, a rally in financial stocks carried the benchmark index of the Toronto Stock Exchange higher, as new surveys revealed heightened optimism on business conditions and the economy.

The S&P/TSX composite index jumped 144.80 points, or 1.5%, to close at 9,891.93. All 10 main groups on the TSX advanced on Monday.

The financials group rallied 2.7%.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index edged up 2.08 points, or 0.2%, to close at 1,047.63.

The Canadian dollar jumped higher to close at US86.82¢ on Monday, up nearly a cent from Friday’s close.

Stocks in New York also finished with solid gains led by financial stocks, in advance of upcoming earnings reports.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 185.16 points, or 2.3%, to 8,331.68.

The S&P 500 Index added 21.92 points, or 2.5%, to close at 901.05.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 37.18 points, or 2.1%, to end at 1,793.21.

IE

Monday wrap: Banks buoy TSX