Wall Street surges on hopes for stimulus, coronavirus vaccine

(Reuters) – Wall Street’s main indexes surged on Monday as encouraging early data from a potential coronavirus vaccine trial boosted sentiment, with investors also counting on more stimulus to rescue the economy from a deep slowdown.

Drugmaker Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) said its experimental COVID-19 vaccine showed promising results in a small early stage trial, boosting futures in premarket trading. Its own shares jumped 14{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}.

Investors have kept a close eye on vaccine programs of several drugmakers, cheering any positive development amid fears of a second wave of infections as governments start easing restrictions.

“If there really is a workable vaccine that can be mass produced, it really is a game changer for so many industries about which we weren’t so sure if the reopenings would solve their problems,” said Rick Meckler, a partner at Cherry Lane Investments in New Vernon, New Jersey.

Battered travel-related stocks such as cruise line operators Carnival Corp (CCL.N), Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL.N), Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH.N) jumped more than 10{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}, while the airlines subindex .SPCOMAIR also added 10.3{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}.

Markets were also encouraged by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks over the weekend on a gradual economic recovery and his affirmation that more monetary stimulus was on the way if required.

He had also stressed on the importance of a vaccine in establishing economic normalcy.

At 9:51 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI was up 757.31 points, or 3.20{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}, at 24,442.73, the S&P 500 .SPX was up 74.88 points, or 2.61{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}, at 2,938.58, and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was up 162.15 points, or 1.80{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}, at 9,176.71.

The benchmark S&P 500 was on track for its biggest one-day percentage gain in more than a month, with all the 11 major S&P sector indexes trading higher.

Energy stocks .SPNY soared 6.7{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} after oil prices surged on the prospect of higher demand as economic activity slowly resumes across the globe. [O/R]

General Motors Co (GM.N) rose 9.8{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} and Ford Motor Co (F.N) 6.9{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} as they prepared to reopen their North American factories in a push to restart work in an industry that accounts for about 6{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} of U.S. economic activity.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners more than 13-to-1 on the NYSE and 7-to-1 on the Nasdaq.

The S&P index recorded 17 new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 68 new highs and three new lows.