Markets continue climbing

The markets extended its gains during the midday with the Dow leaping 239 points to 17,600. Nasdaq gained 21 points to 4,698.

On the upside

Shares of National Bank of Greece (NYSE: NBG) rose on news that the Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis was meeting with European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble.

Rising crude oil prices lifted shares of Penn West Petroleum (NYSE: PWE) and SandRidge Energy (NYSE: SD).

Stifel Nicolaus upgraded SM Energy (NYSE: SM) from a Hold to a Buy rating.

On the downside

Onconova Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ONTX) created plans for a Phase 3 clinical trial for rigosertib in HR-MDS patients after failure of treatment with HMAs.

LifeVantage (Nasdaq: LFVN) announced the immediate resignation of president and chief executive officer Douglas C. Robinson and appointed Dave S. Manovich to the position of executive vice chairman.

Investors locked in profits on YOU On Demand (Nasdaq: YOD).

In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 4 to 1 on the NYSE and by nearly 5 to 2 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 climbed 19 points to 2040. Bitcoin slipped $3 to $225.