Markets Right Now: Dow industrials headed for record high

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

11:45 a.m.

Stocks are closing in on more record highs on a holiday-shortened trading day.

Health care and technology stocks led the gains Wednesday.

Merck rose 1.1% and Symantec soared 13.2% following a report from Bloomberg that Broadcom was interested in buying the company. Broadcom fell 3.7%.

Markets will be closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday. Trading will close Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The S&P 500 index rose 16 points, or 0.5%, to 2,989. It’s on track for its third record high close in a row.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 98 points, or 0.4%, to 26,883 and is also closing in on a record closing high.

The Nasdaq rose 43 points, or 0.5%, to 8,153.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 1.95%.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening higher on a holiday-shortened day on Wall Street, putting the S&P 500 index on track for its third record high close in a row.

Health care and technology stocks led the gains early Wednesday.

Merck rose 1.5% and cyber security company Symantec soared 15.2% following a report from Bloomberg that Broadcom was interested in buying the company. Broadcom fell 2.8%.

U.S. markets will be closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday. Trading will close Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The S&P 500 index rose 5 points, or 0.2%, to 2,979.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 70 points, or 0.3%, to 26,857. The Nasdaq rose 18 points, or 0.2%, to 8,088.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 1.96%.