Markets Right Now: Stocks end higher on Wall Street

The latest on developments in financial markets (all times local):

4 p.m.

Stocks ended higher as traders keep up hope that the U.S. and China will make progress on resolving their trade dispute.

Technology and health care companies helped pull the market higher. Facebook rose 1.7 percent and UnitedHealth added 1.3 percent.

The market rallied for most of the day but the gains faded in the afternoon.

The music streaming arm of Chinese tech company Tencent rose 7.7 percent on its first day of trading.

The S&P 500 gained 14 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,651.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 157 points, or 0.6 percent, to 24,527. It was up as much as 458 earlier.

The Nasdaq rose 66 points, or 0.9 percent, to 7,098.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 2.92 percent.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are rising sharply on Wall Street in midday trading, clawing back some of the ground they lost over the previous week.

Technology companies rallied Wednesday and energy companies rose along with crude oil prices. Microsoft rose 2.3 percent and Chevron gained 1.4 percent.

Health care and industrial companies also jumped, while safer, high-dividend stocks like utilities and household goods makers were little changed.

The S&P 500 index gained 39 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,676.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 333 points, or 1.4 percent, to 24,703. The Nasdaq composite rose 147 points, or 2.1 percent, to 7,179.

Stocks in Europe and Asia also rallied.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.90 percent.

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9:35 a.m.

Global stock indexes are climbing as investors hope for progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations.

Technology companies and retailers rose Wednesday. Microsoft jumped 2.1 percent and Amazon rose 1.3 percent.

Energy companies jumped as crude oil prices rose 1.4 percent.

Equipment rental company United Rentals rose 7.3 percent after giving strong forecasts for 2019.

Stocks have gone through huge swings this week after a wave of selling at the end of the previous week.

The S&P 500 index gained 30 points, or 1.2 percent, to 2,667.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 283 points, or 1.2 percent, to 24,653. The Nasdaq composite rose 88 points, or 1.3 percent, to 7,120.

Stocks in Europe and Asia also rallied.