Markets Right Now: Stocks extend gains into a 4th week

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

4 p.m.

Stocks shook off a wobbly start and ended modestly higher on Wall Street, extending the market’s gains into a fourth week.

Solid earnings from Walmart sent the company up 2.2 per cent Tuesday and also encouraged investors to bid up other retailers.

Homebuilders also rose after an industry survey showing higher confidence within the industry heading into the spring homebuying season. KB Home rose 1.2 per cent.

The S&P 500 rose 4 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 2,779.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 8 points, less than 0.1 per cent, to 25,891. The Nasdaq rose 14 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 7,486.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.64 per cent.

U.S. markets were closed Monday for the Presidents Day holiday.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are edging higher in midday trading on Wall Street as gains for retailers and technology companies offset losses elsewhere in the market.

Amazon rose 1.4 per cent Tuesday, and chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices climbed 3 per cent.

Walmart jumped 3.6 per cent after reporting earnings that beat forecasts.

The S&P 500 rose 6 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 2,781.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 32 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 25,914. The Nasdaq rose 24 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 7,496.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.64 per cent.

U.S. markets were closed Monday for the Presidents Day holiday.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening slightly lower on Wall Street led by declines in banks and industrial companies.

JPMorgan Chase lost 1.2 per cent in early trading Tuesday and General Electric gave up 1.1 per cent.

HSBC, a bank based in London, fell 3.8 per cent after reporting results that fell short of analysts’ estimates.

Walmart jumped 3.1 per cent after reporting earnings that beat forecasts.

The S&P 500 fell 3 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 2,772.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 12 points, less than 0.1 per cent, to 25,872. The Nasdaq was little changed at 7,470.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.64 per cent.