New York, Sep 10 (DPA) US stocks gained Wednesday as the Federal Reserve reported that nearly all corners of the US appeared to be out of recession.

The central bank's Beige Book found that five of 12 regional banks reported 'signs of improvement' since the last survey in late July, and another six said their economies were stabilising.

The report signalled the country's worst recession in seven decades has probably ended, but it also warned of 'flat' retail sales and a 'weak' labour market, suggesting the recovery will be slow.

Industrial firms gained after Goldman Sachs Group upgraded its rating of the sector.

But the dollar continued falling to some of its lowest levels of the year against major currencies, helping drive oil prices up 0.