Stocks open higher on Wall Street following 2 steep drops

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose solidly in early trading as investors regained an appetite for risk after two days of heavy losses.

The sharp drops, which wiped out the market’s gains for the year, were brought on by worries over economic fallout from the virus outbreak that originated in China.

Investors snapped up technology stocks in the early going Wednesday.

Health care companies and banks also climbed. Bond prices fell and pushed yields higher as demand for low-risk assets ebbed somewhat.

TJX, the parent of retailer TJ Maxx, rose sharply after beating Wall Street’s fourth-quarter profit forecasts and raising its dividend.