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S&P 500 Shoots Above 1,100 - (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks rallied to 13-month highs Monday as investors focused on the weak U.S. dollar and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said interest rates will remain low as the economy slowly recovers.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 136 points, or 1.3%, to close at 10,406.96. That's the highest level for the blue-chip indicator since October 2008.

The S&P 500 gained 15.8 points, or 1.8%, to close above the psychologically important 1,100 level.

The Nasdaq composite rose 30 points, or 1.4%, to 2,197.5.

The Week Ahead: Data Storm Rains on Markets - A storm of data hit markets on Monday with retail sales an hour before the opening bell, plus the first look at November manufacturing and business inventories. To top off the day, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke gave a talk during the lunch hour a little after dual Treasury auctions. Fed chairman said high unemployment and tight credit will limit economic growth, but he dismissed worries about another recession and dollar weakness.

Later in the week markets will be looking at inflation indexes, housing construction data, the usual weekly labor report, and leading indicators.