Dow Jones Industrial Average Gains As Traders Digest Fed Chair Yellen’s Policy Remarks; Bank And Tech Stocks Rally

This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. EST.

U.S. stocks opened sharply higher Wednesday amid a highly volatile week as investors digested Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen’s policy hearing to Congress. During her remarks, Yellen cited global uncertainties as potential risk to the U.S. economy but played down chances of a significant shift in monetary policy toward gradual interest rate hikes that began in December.