Health care and tech stocks lead early gains on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening slightly higher on Wall Street, led by gains in health care and technology companies. UnitedHealth, the country's largest health insurer, climbed 2.2% in early trading Wednesday after reporting solid quarterly results. Microsoft was also higher. Banks were broadly lower after Bank of America and Goldman Sachs reported weaker profits. The benchmark S&P 500 index rose 5 points, or 0.2%, to 3,289. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 57 points, or 0.2%, to 28,996. The Nasdaq rose 24 points, or 0.3%, to 9,275. Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.79%.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

World shares were mostly lower on Wednesday as conflicting reports raised concerns over the likely outcome of a trade deal to be signed by the U.S. and China.

Britain's FTSE 100 edged 0.1% higher to 7,632, while the CAC 40 in Paris was down 0.2% at 6,028. In Germany, the DAX lost 0.2% to 13,431 after new figures showed the country's economy grew just 0.6% last year, its weakest in years.

Wall Street looked set for a quiet start, with the future contracts for the Dow and the S&P 500 both down 0.1%.

Markets had regained upward momentum with expectations that Chinese and U.S. officials will sign a preliminary trade agreement in Washington on Wednesday that will stave off a further escalation of tensions between the two biggest economies.

However, concern over whether the deal will stick overshadowed that optimism after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the deal will not reduce any punitive tariffs imposed on imports from China until after the two sides reach a further agreement.

“The only way the president will be reducing the tariffs is if there is a ‘Phase 2' part of...