New York (AFP)

The New York Stock Exchange rose at the opening Wednesday, investors seem reassured by the efforts of China to contain a deadly virus and welcoming the results of IBM.

Around 2:55 p.m. GMT, its flagship index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, rose 0.34% to 29,296.44 points.

The highly technological Nasdaq took 0.63% to 9,430.11 points and the S&P 500, which represents the 500 largest companies on Wall Street, gained 0.42% to 3,334.81 points, these two indices reaching new levels during the session.

Wall Street had finished in the red Tuesday, weakened at its return from the weekend prolonged by fears linked to the spread of an Asian virus, by the lowering of the IMF growth forecasts as well as by the new woes of Boeing: the Dow Jones fell 0.52% and the Nasdaq 0.19%.

The new Asian coronavirus, which has killed 17 people in China and infected hundreds of people, has brought back memories of the economic repercussions of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic that hit China hard in 2003.

But on Wednesday, "the fears linked to the spread of the coronavirus seem to be allayed a little while China is taking measures to contain it," comment analysts at Charles Schwab.

Investors were also digesting a new, contrasting burst of corporate earnings.

The IT group IBM, which managed to turn the tide at the end of 2019 by increasing its turnover after five straight quarters of decline, was particularly welcomed: the action, member of the Dow Jones, rose by 4.10% .

Another member of the star index, the pharmaceutical and hygiene products group Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), however, fell by 1.65% after announcing contrasting annual results, due to competition from generics which cut back on sales of its flagship drugs.

The streaming giant Netflix, faced with a host of new competitors the size of Apple and Disney in its main market, also fell by 2.71% after being cautious for 2020.

Tesla also marked the session by exceeding for the first time the 100 billion dollar mark of market capitalization, thus surpassing Volskwagen.

On the bond market, the 10-year rate on the American debt fell, moving to 1.762% against 1.774% on Tuesday at the close.

© 2020 AFP