Markets Right Now: Trade hopes send stocks to records

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

4 p.m.

Stocks are closing at all-time highs after U.S. officials said they’re making progress in the latest push for a trade agreement with China.

Technology stocks were the biggest winners Friday. Applied Materials jumped 9% after reporting strong results.

Health insurers rose after the Trump administration announced a rule forcing hospitals to make public the rates they negotiate with insurers for their services.

UnitedHealth Group rose 5.3%.

Restoration Hardware and Occidental Petroleum rose after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it had picked up shares in both companies.

The S&P 500 rose 23 points, or 0.8%, to 3,120.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 222 points, or 0.8%, to 28,004. The Nasdaq rose 61 points, or 0.7%, to 8,540.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.83%.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are heading for more record highs on Wall Street after U.S. officials said they were making progress in the latest push for a trade agreement with China.

Technology stocks were the biggest winners Friday. Applied Materials surged 10% on solid earnings.

Health care and industrial companies were also making strong gains. Biogen rose 1.4% and Caterpillar rose 1.6%.

Restoration Hardware rose 6.3% and Occidental Petroleum rose 3.2% after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it had picked up shares in both companies.

The S&P 500 rose 17 points, or 0.5%, to 3,113.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 143 points, or 0.5%, to 27,924. The Nasdaq rose 50 points, or 0.6%, to 8,529.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.83%.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening broadly higher on Wall Street as hopes continued to grow that the U.S. and China were moving closer to a deal on trade.

Technology and health care companies led the way higher in early trading Friday. Qualcomm jumped 3.8% and Gilead Sciences climbed 1.8%.

Restoration Hardware rose 4.4% and Occidental Petroleum rose 3.3% after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it had picked up shares in both companies.

The S&P 500 rose 10 points, or 0.3%, to 3,106.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 90 points to 27,872. The Nasdaq rose 36 points, or 0.4%, to 8,515.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.85%.