Stocks open higher on Wall Street, led by banks and tech

The Associated Press

Stocks are edging higher on Wall Street in early trading Wednesday, sending the S&P 500 slightly above the record closing high it set on Monday. Banks and technology companies helped lead the gains, while energy, the best-performing sector in the market this year, lagged behind. European markets were mostly lower, and Asian markets closed mostly lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.52%. With three trading days left in the year, the S&P 500 is headed for a gain of more than 27% for 2021, nearly as big as its gain in 2019.