Easing of Ukraine tensions helps drive stocks

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Trader Steven Kaplan, left, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. Worries about Russian troops massing near the Ukrainian border are pushing stocks slightly lower. U.S. stocks are little changed in early trading Wednesday as investors worry about escalating tensions between Russia and the Ukraine. Investors were also holding back after two larger merger bids were pulled. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Trader Steven Kaplan, left, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. Worries about Russian troops massing near the Ukrainian border are pushing stocks slightly lower. U.S. stocks are little changed in early trading Wednesday as investors worry about escalating tensions between Russia and the Ukraine. Investors were also holding back after two larger merger bids were pulled. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are opening higher as tensions ease in Ukraine.

Russia called an end to military exercises near Ukraine and withdrew troops to their bases.

Investors were also pleased by the latest news in corporate combinations.

Kinder Morgan jumped 9 percent following news that a group of oil and gas pipeline and storage companies controlled by Kinder Morgan will combine.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose five points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,936 in the first few minutes of trading Monday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 30 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,585. The Nasdaq composite rose 14 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,385.

Bond prices were little changed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 2.42 percent.

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