(MENAFN- ProactiveInvestors)Soon after the bell rang on Wall Street US stocks were higher following a mixed day in the UK. Weaker than expected consumer spending in April did little by way of dampening investor sentiment. Personal incomes rose 0.4% while consumer spending was flat as Americans increased savings showing that households remained cautious at the start of the second quarter. All eyes are on the US manufacturing figures which will be released alter today and with Chinese data largely positive but UK and European data a little weaker the US could go either way. The Dow Jones gained 50 points to 18064 while the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 13 to 5082 and the broader S&P 500 rose 4 points to 2110. In company news General Electric has launched the sales process for a roughly US$40 billion portion of its US commercial lending assets as a part of its broad retreat from its finance businesses. Shares were relatively flat at US$27 despite the news. Intel on Monday confirmed that it has agreed to buy smaller rival Altera for US$54 in cash or about US$16.7 billion. Shares in Intel were flat at US$34 while Altera's shares climbed 6% to US$51. Israeli biotech company Vascular Biogenics reported positive results from a Phase 2 trial of a treatment for the malignant brain tumour gliobastoma or rGBM. Shares were 4.8% higher to US$8. In the UK the FTSE 100 was flat at 6984 with Ashtead Group leading the risers and Weir Group the biggest faller.
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