Stress test hopes, retailers lift Wall St at open

Stocks opened higher on Thursday as investors anticipated results of stress tests to show that most banks are healthier than previously thought.

* Surprisingly strong April sales from major retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc , also helped underpin investor optimism.

* Among bank stocks, JPMorgan rose 3 percent to $38.27, while Citigroup climbed nearly 11 percent to $4.28.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 61.33 points, or 0.72 percent, at 8,573.61. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 9.54 points, or 1.04 percent, at 929.07. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 11.84 points, or 0.67 percent, at 1,770.94.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)