Stocks rise at the open on vaccine optimism, hope for fiscal relief

U.S. stocks opened higher Monday, buoyed by the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine to the first Americans and a pledge from lawmakers to keep working toward agreement on an aid package. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 201 points, 0.7%, opening near 30,247, while the S&P 500 added12 points, 0.3%, to trade near 3,675. The Nasdaq Composite was 77 points, 0.7%, higher in early trade, near 12,460. Shares of Pfizer Inc. gained even as its coronavirus vaccine was the first to be distributed. In Washington, Congressional leaders agreed to set aside some of the thorniest components of discussions over virus stimulus, and in Europe, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to continue discussions toward a Brexit trade deal.

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