Stocks Ended Up on ECB Bets

U.S. stocks ended up on Wednesday as traders digested reports that new stimulus would be announced by the European Central Bank at its Thursday meeting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 39.05 points, or 0.22%, to 17,554.28. The S&P 500 was up 9.57 points, or 0.47%, to 2,032.12. The Nasdaq Composite gained 12.57 points, or 0.27%, to 4,667.42.

The proposal will be discussed starting Wednesday by the ECB’s decision-making Governing Council, which could still change the design significantly.

Microsoft Corp will give away its upcoming Windows 10 operating system as a free upgrade to users of the most recent versions of Windows and Windows Phone, as the world’s largest software company tries to retain customers in the mobile era.

Google Inc. (GOOG) is considering becoming a wireless carrier, providing a new service that’s expected to run on Sprint and T-Mobile’s networks, says a report from The Information citing people familiar with the matter.