Stocks Opened Higher after Private-sector Job Data

U.S. stocks opened higher on Wednesday as investors digested better-than-expected job numbers from the private sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately jumped 173.25 points, or 0.98%, to 17,792.76. The S&P 500 added 16.02 points, or 0.78%, to 2,079.13. The Nasdaq Composite gained 41.86 points, or 0.84%, to 5,028.73.

Companies in the U.S. boosted employment in June by the most in six months, signaling the job market is strengthening, according to a private report based on payrolls.  The 237,000 increase followed a revised 203,000 rise in the prior month, figures from the ADP Research Institute in Roseland, New Jersey, showed Wednesday.

Greece’s government has made new concessions in talks with its creditors, though some European officials said they were still not good enough and that a deal was nevertheless impossible before a Greek referendum on Sunday.

Insurer Ace is buying The Chubb Corp. in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $28.3 billion that will boost its international presence.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles FCAU 0.00 % NV said Wednesday that its U.S. auto sales rose 8.2% in June, as strong sales of Jeep and Chrysler vehicles helped propel the auto maker to its best June sales since 2006.

General Mills Inc said fourth-quarter profit halved as it recorded a $260 million charge to write down the value of one of its frozen and canned vegetable businesses. Total revenue inched up 0.4 percent to $4.30 billion. Net earnings attributable to General Mills fell 54 percent to $186.8 million, or 30 cents per share. Excluding items, its profit of 75 cents per share.