US STOCKS-Wall St opens higher on spending optimism

(Updates to open)

NEW YORK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Wednesday as a report showing a surprise rise in retail sales last month suggested that consumer spending would hold up and help the economy avert a recession.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was up 110.39 points, or 0.89 percent, at 12,483.80. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 13.52 points, or 1.00 percent, at 1,362.38. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was up 31.55 points, or 1.36 percent, at 2,351.59. (Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Kenneth Barry)