 12.05 pm: Dow advances more than 600 points US stocks were higher in noon trading following reports from South Africa that the new coronavirus COVID-19 Omicron variant is milder in nature. At midday, the Dow climbed 603 points to 35,183, while the SP 500 added 40 points at 4,579 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 32 points to 15,117. 