The S&P 500 was up 0.5% in midday trading to 2,268.87.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2% to 19,929.05.
The NASDAQ was up 0.8% to 5,469.85.
The yield on a 10-year Treasury bond was flat at 2.45%.
The price of gold rose 0.3% to $1,169.
HEALTHCARE
Mission Viejo-based Ensign Group Inc. was down 5.9% to $21.07 and a $1.1 billion market cap. JMP Securities downgraded the healthcare facilities operator to “underperform” and a price target of $18.
Irvine-based Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc. was up 3.3% to $40.05 and a $1.3 billion market cap on moderate volume. The clinical-stage firm is developing drugs to lower internal eye pressure.
