By Andria Cheng 
 

Retail stocks turned higher Wednesday after the government reported a better-than-expected rise in durable goods orders, offsetting a weaker-than-expected new-home sales report.

The S&P Retail Index rose 0.6% to 311.04, erasing some of its earlier gains after new-home sales dropped 0.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 342,000 in May. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected a slight increase to 363,000 annualized.

Stronger orders for airplanes and machinery sent May orders up a better-than-expected 1.8%, the third gain in four months, the Commerce Department estimated.

Home improvement retailers Home Depot Inc. (HD) and Lowe's Cos. (LOW) shares were both down slightly after the release of the home sales data.

Investors' attention also will be focused on the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates Wednesday afternoon.

PetSmart Inc. (PETM) shares rose 4.4% after the pet supplies retailer said late Tuesday it more than tripled its quarterly dividend. It also plans to repurchase as much as $350 million of stock.

Drugstore chain Rite Aid Corp. (RAD) shares rose 8.5% to $1.37 after it said Wednesday that its first-quarter loss narrowed to $98.5 million, or 11 cents a share, from $162.8 million, or 20 cents, a year earlier. Revenue declined to $6.53 billion from $6.61 billion. The results included a $67 million non-cash charge related to store closings and a $20 million gain on asset sales, including prescription files. Analysts, on average, estimated the drugstore chain to lose 12 cents a share on sales of $6.54 billion, according to FactSet.

Home furnishings retailer Bed, Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) and sneaker giant Nike Inc. (NKE) shares were both up slightly ahead of their respective releases of quarterly results Wednesday afternoon.

-By Andria Cheng; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com