OpenTable shares soar nearly 60% in IPO feast

SAN FRANCISCO -- OpenTable's shares soared by $11.89, or nearly 60%, to close at $31.89 Thursday in their first day of trading on the Nasdaq.

The big run-up came the day after investment bankers priced the San Francisco-based company's initial public offering at $20 per share, up from their initial target of $12 to $14 per share.

The recession has made it increasingly difficult for small companies to go public, but it's starting to look like investors are more willing to take chances again.

After just one IPO in the first three months of the year, five have been completed in the past eight weeks.