Wall Street Market Report

(Close): US stocks closed slightly higher after overcoming further fears of rate rises after strong news on the US economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 9.37 points, 0.09% to 10,470.57.

Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, which reported late on Thursday that sales increasing by 17%, closed up 0.11% to $27.55.

The Nasdaq ended 0.83% higher at 2049.77. demonstrating that technology was again driving the market.

Across the whole of the US economy, orders for new durable goods to factories jumped 3.4% in March which provided further evidence to analysts of a stronger US economy and possible future interest rate rises.