U.S. stocks are continuing their advance at mid-day trading led by IBM (NYSE: IBM), Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA), while a report from the National Association of Business Economics shows that economists are upbeat about economic growth and the job U.S. jobs market.

The Dow Jones Industrial index is up 25.83 points, while the S&P 500 is up 6.73 points and the Nasdaq up 25.68 points. Nvidia is up 11.8 percent on a bold prediction by Baron’s that it has the potential to grow 80 percent over the next year.

Intel is up 1.61 percent on news that it is adding $10 billion to its stock buyback program. IBM (NYSE: IBM) is up 2.06 percent.

Clothing retailer J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP) is up 7.15 percent after announcing a restructuring of its business involving the closing of many of its stores.

Radio Shack (NYSE: RSH) is down 10.68 percent today after news this morning that its CEO, Julian Day, is planning to retire.

NABE report elevated materials company stocks such as Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC), which is up 5.15 percent, and Sealed Air Corp. (NYSE: SEE), which is up 3.85 percent.

The yield on the 10-year bond is down slightly, and oil is down 1.83 percent on reports that OPEC plans to increase production. Gold remained unchanged.