Markets Right Now: US stocks eke out meagre gains

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

4:00 p.m.

Stocks finished modestly higher on Wall Street as the market stabilized following two straight weeks of losses in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

More industries rose than fell Monday, but the gains were subdued overall. Health care and consumer products companies contributed the most to the indexes’ gains.

Herbalife jumped 9.8 per cent after saying it had held talks to be taken private.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index edged up 2 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 2,428.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 29 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 21,703. The Nasdaq composite slipped 3 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 6,213.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.18 per cent.

___

11:45 a.m.

Major U.S. stocks indexes wavered between small gains and losses in midday trading on Wall Street.

Several companies were moving on deal talk Monday.

Herbalife jumped 11.1 per cent after saying it had held talks to be taken private.

Fiat Chrysler rose 7.3 per cent after Chinese SUV maker Great Wall Motors said it is considering making an offer to buy Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep unit.

The market is coming off of two straight weeks of losses.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index edged up 1 point to 2,427.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 4 points at 21,680. The Nasdaq composite edged down 6 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 6,209.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.19 per cent.

___

9:35 a.m.

Major U.S. stock indexes were little changed in early trading on Wall Street, but some companies were moving on deal talk.

Herbalife jumped 9.3 per cent in early trading Monday after saying it had held talks to be taken private.

Fiat Chrysler rose 4.8 per cent after Chinese SUV maker Great Wall Motors says it is considering making an offer to buy Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep unit.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was up 1 point at 2,426.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 3 points to 21,671. The Nasdaq composite edged up 3 points to 6,220.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.18 per cent.