Stocks are indicated higher with help from better-than-expected retail sales data Friday. Thirty minutes before the opening bell on Wall Street, stock index futures indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average might add 30 or 40 points at the open.

Stock index futures rallied after the Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose .3 percent during the month of February. Economists were expected the report to show a .2 percent drop. Excluding autos, sales rose .8 percent vs. .1 percent consensus.

The positive data sent stock index futures higher, but bonds lower. The benchmark ten-year Treasury is down 7/32nd and now yields 3.75 percent.

The dollar added .43 to 90.93 against the Japanese yen. The euro edged up .0067 to 1.3745 against the buck.

A report on consumer confidence is due at 9:55 eastern time. Economists expect the University of Michigan to improve to 74.0 in March, up from 73.6 the month before. A report on Business Inventories follows at 10:00. A reading of .1 percent is expected.

Energy, metals and mining names might see some early strength after crude oil added 81 cents to $82.92 a barrel and gold gained $6.2 to $1114.4 an ounce.

Among the other stocks to watch, National Semiconductor (NSM) shares rose 2.5 percent after the chipmaker posted a quarterly profit of 22 cents per share, which was four cents better than Street estimates. The fertilizer names are in focus after Yarra dropped its bid for Terra Industries (TRA) and Agrium (AGU) terminated its offer for CF — which sent CF and TRA shares lower, but AGU shares 6 percent higher. Apple Computer (AAPL) ticked up after its online store went down, which sometimes happens before a product announcement and or update.