US stock indexes veer higher in afternoon trading; oil up
U.S. stocks moved higher in late-afternoon trading Wednesday, on course to recover some of the market's hefty losses from the day before. Energy companies led the gainers, climbing as the price of crude oil rose. Gains by health care companies and several big retailers also helped lift the market. Some travel booking companies and airlines were down as investors monitored Hurricane Irma, which was projected to possibly strike Florida by the weekend.
KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 6 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,464 as of 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The Dow Jones industrial average added 68 points, or 0.3 percent, to 21,821. The Nasdaq composite fell 7 points, or 0.1 percent, to 6,382.