S&P 500 and Nasdaq closer slightly higher, led by tech shares; European markets close higher with vaccine rollout and containment measures in focus; BELEX15 up 0.44% 
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed slightly higher on Wednesday, led by tech shares, as traders kept an eye on interest rates, the political uncertainty coming out of Washington and a still raging pandemic. 
The broader market index gained 0.2% to end the day at 3,809.84, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq advanced 0.4% to 13,128.95. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed just 8.22 points lower, or 0.03%, at 31,060.47. 
Intel jumped nearly 7% on news that CEO Bob Swan would step down, effective Feb. 15. Other tech-related names also caught a bid, with Netflix and Amazon popping 2.7% and 1.4%, respectively. Apple also closed higher by more than 1%. 
Wednesday’s moves came as U.S. Treasury rates eased from their March highs. The benchmark 10-year note yield fell more than 5 basis points to 1.092%. The 30-year bond yield also fell on Wednesday to 1.823%. On Tuesday, the benchmark rate traded as high as 1.187%. 
The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended up 0.17% provisionally, with telecoms stocks climbing 1.1% to lead gains while travel and leisure shed 1.1%.

European markets kept track of coronavirus developments in the region, with governments looking to accelerate, or to keep good momentum, in their coronavirus vaccination drives. In the meantime, lockdowns have been extended in Germany and the Netherlands. 
Carrefour surged 13.4% on Wednesday after Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard said it had opened merger talks with Europe’s largest retailer. Telefonica shares jumped 9.6% after the Spanish telecoms giant announced a $9.4 billion sale of phone masts to American Towers. 
Meanwhile, ProSiebenSat.1 dropped almost 6% after private equity firm KKR looked to sell part of its stake in the German mass media company.

 
BELEX15 added 0.44% as NIS gained slightly more than 2%, while 3.8% jump at Energoprojekt, also contributed. The most active name was NIS, with RSD 1.4m in volume. 
Source: CNBC, Ilirika