Wall Street gained overnight, propelled by Apple shares, as investors awaited the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes as policy makers underpin expectations of a US interest rate increase next month.
"I am now reasonably satisfied the situation has settled down ... So I am comfortable with moving off zero soon, conditioned on no marked deterioration in economic conditions," Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart told a conference of bankers, traders and regulators, Reuters reported.
"I believe it will soon be appropriate to begin a new policy phase," noted Lockhart, who has a vote at the December meeting.
In New York trading at about 11:45am, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 0.7 per cent. At about 11.19am trading, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 0.6 per cent while the Nasdaq Composite Index increased 0.7 per cent.
Advances in shares of Apple and those Wal-Mart Stores, last trading 3.1 per cent and 1.7 per cent higher respectively, led the gains in the Dow.