NEW YORK » U.S. stocks are wobbling this morning as global markets stabilize a day after a plunge in China unsettled investors worldwide. Health care stocks were the biggest gainers as drugmakers moved modestly higher.

KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 10 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,139 as of 11:08 a.m. Eastern time today. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose three points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,015. The Nasdaq composite added eight points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,911.

DRUGMAKERS RISE: Gilead Sciences advanced. Late Monday the company said it will receive a sped-up review of a new hepatitis C treatment, and today Gilead reported positive results from a clinical trial of a hepatitis B drug. The company plans to file for marketing approval by the end of March. Gilead added $1.73, or 1.8 percent, to $99.75, recovering some of its loss from Monday.

GUN MAKERS CLIMB: Gun makers continued to trade higher as President Obama prepared to announce new executive actions intended to reduce gun violence and unregulated sales. The prospect of additional background checks and other regulations often boosts demand for guns.

Smith & Wesson rose $2.85, or 12.2 percent, to $26.13 and Sturm Ruger added $4.32, or 7 percent, to $65.78. Late Monday, Smith & Wesson raised its profit estimates for the year, saying sales were better than it had expected. Earlier, data from the national background check program showed background checks surged in December, suggesting strong sales.

Smith & Wesson shares have more than doubled in value over the last year and Sturm Ruger is up more than 80 percent.

SPIRIT FLIES: Spirit Airlines jumped after the company replaced CEO Ben Baldanza. Baldanza helped make Spirit into an “ultra-low cost carrier” with low prices and fees for everything from snacks, seat assignments, and space in overhead bins.

The company also became known for splashy promotions and “pre-reclined” seats that couldn’t be lowered, letting the company fit more people on its planes. However shares were down by about half over the last year and in November they hit two-year lows.

Spirit rose $2.62, or 6.7 percent, to $41.80.

DRIVE MY CAR: Auto makers are reporting their December and full-year sales today. Car shopping site Edmunds.com expects 1.7 million cars were sold, which would make last month the biggest December in history for the auto industry.

General Motors said its U.S. sales rose 6 percent to 3 million cars and trucks, while Ford’s sales increased 8 percent. Fiat Chrysler sales grew 13 percent and Nissan’s sales rose 19 percent. Despite the gains, GM fell 94 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $32.37 and Ford declined 37 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $13.60.

OVERSEAS: Germany’s DAX was down 0.1 percent while France’s CAC-40 edged up 0.1 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares rose 0.7 percent higher.

CHINA FEARS: Asian stocks traded lower, but selling mostly abated as China’s stock market was more stable. On Monday, the first trading of the year, the Shanghai Composite Index slumped 7 percent on more signs of weakness in China’s manufacturing sector.

OIL WORRIES: Despite rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, oil prices continued to tumble because demand appears weak while stockpiles are large. U.S. crude fell 44 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $36.32 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 76 cents, or 2 percent, to $36.46 a barrel in London. The price of natural gas fell 2.6 percent to $2.27 per 1,000 cubic feet.

BONDS, CURRENCIES: The dollar slipped to 119.15 yen from 119.30 yen late Monday. The euro fell to $1.0721 from $1.0827. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged at 2.25 percent.