Dire housing data fails to douse Dow

Less than an hour after opening, the US blue chip index was up more than 29 points (0.32%) to 9,164.43. Housing starts fell 1% to 581,000 in July, the first drop in three months, according to Commerce Department figures. Economists predicted a July figure of 598,000. Home improvement retailer Home Depot gained 2.83% to $26.85 after posting better-than-expected Q2 profits and increasing its full-year earnings forecas. American Express added 2.27% to $31.08 while JPMorgan Chase & Co advanced 1.47% to $41.33. Pharmaceutical firms Merck & Co and Johnson & Johnson tumbled 1.65% to $3...