Markets Right Now: Solid gains for US stocks in early trade

NEW YORK (AP) –Stocks are opening solidly higher on Wall Street following more deal news and progress on the Republican tax overhaul plan over the weekend.

Banks rose more than the rest of the market in early trading Monday. Bank of America jumped 3.4 percent.

Consumer-focused and industrial companies were also putting up big gains. Cable TV and entertainment company Comcast rose 3.4 percent and Boeing rose 2.2 percent.

Aetna rose 1.8 percent after the health insurer agreed to be acquired by drug store operator CVS. CVS fell 3.9 percent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 19 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,661.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 224 points, or 0.9 percent, to 24,453. The Nasdaq composite climbed 43 points, or 0.7 percent, to 6,892.