Markets Right Now: Stocks move higher on Wall Street

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

11:45 a.m.

Stocks are rising broadly in midday trading, extending solid gains from a day earlier.

Technology and health care companies led the march higher Thursday.

Micron Technology rose 2.1 per cent and Qualcomm climbed 2.9 per cent. Envision Healthcare rose 6.1 per cent.

Telecom company CenturyLink jumped 7.6 per cent after reporting earnings that were much higher than analysts were expecting.

The S&P 500 index rose 20 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 2,717.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 190 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 24,732. The Nasdaq composite increased 52 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 7,392.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.97 per cent.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are off to a solid start on Wall Street, building on the market’s gains from a day earlier.

Technology and health care stocks rose more than the rest of the market in early trading Thursday.

Micron Technology rose 2.5 per cent and Qualcomm climbed 2.3 per cent. Envision Healthcare rose 5.5 per cent.

Telecom company CenturyLink soared 9 per cent after reporting earnings that were much higher than analysts were expecting.

The S&P 500 index rose 10 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 2,707.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 73 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 24,615. The Nasdaq composite increased 21 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 7,360.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.96 per cent.