By Caroline Valetkevitch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as upbeat retail sales figures and other U.S. data pointed to a strengthening economy and lifted optimism about consumer spending.

Indexes ended well off their highs for the day, however, paring gains late in the session as U.S. crude oil CLc1 fell below $60 a barrel for the first time in five years.

The gains came after the S&P 500 shed 2.4 percent over the previous three sessions, the worst run for the benchmark index in two months, as weak oil prices weighed on the energy sector.