Markets Right Now: Stocks pop on hopes for trade progress

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

4 p.m.

Stocks snapped higher in late trading following a report that a European delegation had offered some concessions on trade.

Major indexes jumped in the last half-hour of trading Wednesday after a mostly listless day of trading.

The late surge came after the Wall Street Journal reported that the European delegation agreed to work with the U.S. on lowering industrial tariffs on both sides.

Investors were focused on company earnings for most of the day. Hospital operator HCA Healthcare jumped 9.2 percent. General Motors dropped 4.6 percent after lowering its outlook.

The S&P 500 index rose 25 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,846.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 172 points, or 0.7 percent, to 25,414. The Nasdaq composite climbed 91 points, or 1.2 percent, to 7,932, another all-time high.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are edging mostly higher on Wall Street as several big U.S. companies turn in solid earnings reports.

Coca-Cola rose 2.1 percent Wednesday, and hospital operator HCA Healthcare jumped 8.2 percent.

General Motors dropped 7.1 percent after lowering its profit outlook, mostly due to tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Tupperware plunged 16 percent after its revenue came up short of estimates.

The S&P 500 index rose 5 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,825.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 41 points, or 0.2 percent, to 25,197. The Nasdaq composite climbed 31 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,871.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.94 percent.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks indexes are little changed in early trading on Wall Street, but several companies were making big moves after releasing their quarterly earnings reports.

General Motors slumped 6.1 percent early Wednesday after lowering its profit outlook, mostly due to tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

Hospital operator HCA Healthcare jumped 5.6 percent after turning in results that were better than analysts were expecting.

Tupperware plunged 13.4 percent after its revenue came up short of estimates.

The S&P 500 index slipped 1 point to 2,819.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 80 points, or 0.3 percent, to 25,161. The Nasdaq composite climbed 16 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,857.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.95 percent.