Markets Right Now: Technology companies lead US stock gains

NEW YORK – The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

4 p.m.

Stock indexes closed slightly higher on Wall Street, driven by solid gains in technology companies.

HP rose 6.4 per cent Friday after giving a strong outlook for next year.

Health insurers and hospital operators fell sharply after President Donald Trump said the government will halt payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans have been trying to repeal.

Tenet Healthcare, a hospital company, dropped 5.1 per cent. Centene, a Medicaid program administrator, fell 3.3 per cent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 2 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 2,553.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 30 points, or 0.1 per cent, 22,871. The Nasdaq composite rose 14 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 6,605.

The Nasdaq closed at another record high.

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11:45 a.m.

Stock indexes are slightly higher on Wall Street in midday trading, driven by solid gains in technology companies.

HP rose 6.7 per cent in midday trading Friday after giving a strong outlook for next year.

Health insurers and hospital operators fell sharply after President Donald Trump said the government will halt payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans have been trying to repeal.

Tenet Healthcare, a hospital company, dropped 4.4 per cent. Centene, a Medicaid program administrator, fell 4.5 per cent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 5 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 2,555.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 40 points, or 0.2 per cent, 22,882. The Nasdaq composite rose 21 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 6,612.

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9:35 a.m.

Stock indexes are slightly higher on Wall Street in early trading as technology and energy companies post solid gains.

HP rose 5.6 per cent early Friday after giving a strong outlook for next year. ConocoPhillips rose 1.2 per cent.

Health insurers and hospital operators fell sharply after President Donald Trump said the government will halt payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans have been trying to repeal.

Tenet Healthcare, a hospital company, dropped 7.6 per cent. Centene fell 8.6 per cent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 2 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 2,553.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 28 points, or 0.1 per cent, 22,869. The Nasdaq composite rose 13 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 6,604.