The S&P 500 index rose 14.29 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,651.07. The Dow gained 157.03 points, or 0.6 percent, to 24,527.27. The Nasdaq composite jumped 66.48 points, or 0.9 percent, to 7,098.31. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks added 15.19 points, or 1.1 percent, to 1,455.32.
Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 1 percent to $52.15 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 0.1 percent to $60.15 per barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline dipped 1.3 percent to $1.42 a gallon and heating oil was unchanged at $1.85 a gallon. Natural gas dropped 6.1 percent to $4.14 per 1,000 cubic feet.
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Trump comments upend US approach to Huawei, trade talks
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and China have taken pains this week to emphasize that their trade talks are entirely separate from the U.S. case against a top Chinese technology executive. In the space of a few words, President Donald Trump obliterated the distinction, saying he would intervene in the case against Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of telecom giant Huawei, if it would help produce a trade agreement with China.
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US officials: China poses serious national security threat
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. national security officials say China’s cyber threats and the theft of intellectual property from American companies pose large economic and national security challenges for the United States. Assistant Attorney General John Demers says the U.S. “cannot tolerate a nation that steals the fruit of our brainpower.” Demers was among several officials testifying Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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AP: Ivanka, Kushner could profit from tax break they pushed
WASHINGTON (AP) — Government watchdogs say Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner created an ethical minefield when they became close advisers to President Donald Trump without divesting from their real estate investments. An Associated Press investigation finds the president’s daughter and son-in law could benefit from a program they pushed that offers massive tax breaks to developers. An ethics counsel for the couple says Ivanka Trump “adheres to the ethics advice she has received from counsel.”
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Tencent Music shares rise on first trading day
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares in Chinese streaming music giant Tencent Music Entertainment rise nearly 8 percent in their first day of trading. The company’s IPO of 82 million shares priced at $13 each and is expected to raise between $1.07 billion and $1.23 billion.
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Britain’s May wins confidence vote, remains PM
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May has won a confidence vote by Conservative Party lawmakers that could have brought her leadership to an abrupt end. In secret ballot on Wednesday, 200 lawmakers backed May and 117 voted against her.
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States ask court to stop Trump from reviving US coal sales
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Four states that say burning coal will hurt their residents as it makes climate change worse are trying to stop the Trump administration from selling vast reserves of the fuel that are beneath public lands. Attorneys for California, New Mexico, New York and Washington state argue the sales put the climate at risk and shortchange taxpayers. Administration officials say ending a moratorium on coal sales imposed under Obama was critical for the nation’s economy.
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AP Interview: Jones says farmers scared by Trump’s tariffs
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Doug Jones says President Donald Trump’s talk of tariffs is sparking questions and anxiety back home in Alabama. Jones said in an Associated Press interview on Wednesday Democrats should work to improve trade and health care policies, but not focus now on impeachment. It’s the anniversary of his surprise election win in the red-state. Ahead of 2020, he says his old friend Joe Biden is best qualified to help Democrats win back heartland voters, but others will likely emerge.
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Virgin Galactic aims to reach space soon with tourism rocket
MOJAVE, Calif. (AP) — Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is gearing up to finally send its rocket ship to the edge of space. If successful, it would be a major step toward the long-delayed dream of commercial space tourism. That test flight could come as early as Thursday with the spaceship soaring high above California’s Mojave Desert.
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Wall Street ends higher with help from tech and health care
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks gave up much of an early rally but still ended higher, led by gains in technology and health care companies. That helped reverse some of the market’s big losses from the week before. Traders were encouraged after the Wall Street Journal reported that China’s government could make changes to its “Made in China 2025” economic development plan. That could be one step toward easing dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
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