U.S. stock markets opened higher early Wednesday following three days of dramatic drops that put the Nasdaq into a correction with a loss of more than 10 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 250 points, or 0.9 percent, and the S&P 500 rose 43 points, or 1.3 percent. The Nasdaq bounced 200 points higher, or 1.9 percent, as tech stocks recovered.

Markets saw a tough sell-off in the last week after a prolonged period of frothy growth, which some critics said was overblown, given the still-dire state of the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Others lamented that rising stocks continued to pad the pockets of the wealthy, who own a majority of stocks, while regular people dealt with high levels of unemployment, increasing inequality.

Record-low interest rates have helped markets recover from severe drops in March, at the onset of the pandemic, to new record highs in recent months.

Walmart announced on Wednesday it is launching a pilot project to test the delivery of some products from its stores using automated drones as it looks to expand on its distribution services. 

The company said it is rolling out the program in Fayetteville, N.C., to test the delivery of select grocery and household essential items using automated drones from the firm Flytrex. The drones are controlled over the cloud using a “smart and easy control dashboard” and will pick up and drop off items. 

“We know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone. That still feels like a bit of science fiction, but we’re at a point where we’re learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers’ lives easier,” Tom Ward, senior vice president, customer products, said in a statement. 

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The drone program is just the latest effort from the retail behemoth to boost its pick-up and delivery services during the coronavirus pandemic as customers express concern over shopping in stores and opt instead for at-home delivery. 

Walmart has previously partnered with Ford and self-driving vehicle companies to pursue options to have products delivered via autonomous vehicles.

While the coronavirus has sparked widespread economic havoc, Walmart has seen its online sales grow, doubling in the second quarter of the year.

Anthony FauciAnthony FauciDrug companies seek to reassure public amid Trump vaccine push Overnight Health Care: Drug companies issue joint pledge on vaccine safety amid political fears | Senate to vote Thursday on GOP coronavirus relief bill | Iowa coronavirus cases surpass 70,000 USAID shutting down task force set up to tackle coronavirus pandemic MORE, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, said Wednesday that AstraZeneca’s pause in its vaccine clinical trial due to a “potentially unexplained illness” is “not uncommon.”

Fauci told “CBS This Morning” that the halting of one of the leading coronavirus vaccine clinical trials is “not uncommon,” noting the documented reaction to the vaccine is why trials are conducted. 

“It’s not uncommon at all,” the director for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said. “We see this generally for the most part … it’s an adverse event that’s related to something else that just happened to have occurred during the period of time that the clinical trial is on.”

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But Fauci emphasized that researchers cannot assume the reaction is separate from the tested vaccine or treatment.

“You always make the presumption that it’s due directly to the actual vaccine or therapeutic or whatever it is that’s in the clinical trial,” he said.

The public health expert said other AstraZeneca vaccine testing sites are alerted to look out for similar reactions and expressed hope that the researchers “work it out” and investigate the situation more. 

Fauci’s comments come a day after AstraZeneca announced it was examining the illness in one of the trial participants. It also comes as the world rushes to complete a coronavirus vaccine to alleviate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It is not clear how much a setback would impact vaccine production.

AstraZeneca is one of three companies that have begun the third phase of trial, while the other two companies are Pfizer and Moderna. 

Top Republicans are seeking to downplay the heavy toll of the coronavirus, in part by pointing to a conspiracy theory that the number of deaths is much lower.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpCohen claims in new book that Trump is ‘guilty of the same crimes’ as him ‘Princess Bride’ cast to reunite for Wisconsin Democrats fundraiser Bernie Sanders warns that Trump may not concede the election MORE, along with Sen. Joni ErnstJoni Kay ErnstThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: First Kennedy to lose a Massachusetts election Ernst says she’s ‘skeptical’ about coronavirus death count Trump warnings on lawlessness divide GOP candidates MORE (R-Iowa) and Rep. Roger MarshallRoger W. MarshallBank lobbying group launches ad backing Collins reelection bid Chamber to launch ads defending embattled GOP senators McConnell warns control of Senate ‘could go either way’ in November MORE (R-Kan.), who are both in competitive Senate races, have all pointed in recent days to the widely debunked theory that COVID-19 deaths in the United States total just 10,000 instead of the more than 180,000 recorded by health officials.

The speculative remarks come at a time when about 1,000 people a day are dying from the virus, providing a grim backdrop to the final sprint to Election Day. Trump, meanwhile, has been trying to project an optimistic message, frequently pointing to rapid progress toward a vaccine and saying he thinks the virus is “going away.”

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The Trump administration has also increasingly emphasized protecting vulnerable populations like the elderly, rather than putting a focus on a broader strategy of trying to suppress the disease overall.

The discredited theory in question points to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) webpage stating the coronavirus was listed as the sole cause for only 6 percent of deaths from the virus. However, that does not mean the other 94 percent of people did not die from coronavirus. Instead, it means that either another factor directly caused by coronavirus was also listed, like respiratory failure, or that there was an underlying condition like obesity or diabetes that is not necessarily fatal on its own but that heightens the risks from coronavirus.

The 6 percent figure has been seized on, however, to minimize the death toll. Last weekend, Trump retweeted a post from the user Mel Q, who is also a believer in the QAnon conspiracy theory, saying only about 9,000 people had “actually” died from coronavirus. Twitter later removed the tweet for violating its rules.

Ernst likewise said Monday that she is “so skeptical” of case and death counts from coronavirus, later adding, according to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier: “They’re thinking there may be 10,000 or less deaths that were actually singularly COVID-19…I’m just really curious. It would be interesting to know that.”

Marshall, who is a doctor, pointed to the theory based on the 6 percent statistic in a Facebook post Sunday.

“This week the CDC quietly updated its COVID-19 data to reflect the number of deaths from COVID-19 only,” he wrote, adding it was “only 6%,” according to a screenshot posted by KSNT.

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Facebook removed the post, with a spokesperson saying it violated “our policies against spreading harmful misinformation about COVID-19 since it misstates CDC data about the deadliness of the disease.”

The prominence of the discredited theory and its embrace among high-level Republicans has dismayed experts.

“It’s completely, to me, mind-boggling that people are using this as fodder for some conspiracy theory,” said Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.

He said experts have long said that underlying conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure are risk factors for having a more severe case of coronavirus, so “that’s not anything surprising” that conditions like that were listed as present in many coronavirus deaths.

“I’m not sure why this is even a story other than people are trying to minimize what is a serious infectious disease,” Adalja added.

Anthony FauciAnthony FauciHarris on getting any COVID-19 vaccine before election: ‘I would not trust Donald Trump’ Obama encourages social distancing, mask-wearing over Labor Day weekend Companies developing COVID-19 vaccines planning to issue joint safety pledge MORE, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, likewise said on ABC this week: “That does not mean that someone who has hypertension or diabetes who dies of COVID didn’t die of COVID-19 — they did — so the numbers that you’ve been hearing, the 180,000 plus deaths, are real deaths from COVID-19.”

Asked about Trump’s retweets at a press conference Monday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump was “highlighting new CDC information that came out that was worth noting.”

Ernst took a different tone in a statement released by her office, saying: “Over 180,000 Americans have died because of COVID-19. What matters is that we are getting the resources to Iowa that are needed to fight this virus and continuing to support our health care workers on the front lines, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Marshall’s campaign manager, Eric Pahls, wrote in an email: “Dr. Marshall was simply presenting data from the CDC. He didn’t offer some sort of spin or analysis,” adding that the Senate candidate “respects this virus.”

The promotion of the debunked theory has come alongside other efforts to question the effects of the coronavirus. During a rally Thursday, Trump mocked Democratic presidential nominee Joe BidenJoe Biden’Princess Bride’ cast to reunite for Wisconsin Democrats fundraiser Anita Hill says she’ll vote for Biden Buttigieg, former Obama officials added to Biden’s transition team MORE for wearing a mask.

“Did you ever see a man that likes a mask as much as him?” Trump said to a largely maskless crowd, while also saying he is “all for” people wearing masks. Trump himself rarely wears a mask.

The president has also put an increased emphasis on encouraging lower-risk people to go on with their lives, emphasizing instead protections for the elderly.

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“We are aggressively sheltering those at highest risk, especially the elderly, while allowing lower risk Americans to safely return to work and to school,” Trump said in his primetime acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last week.

That approach is in line with suggestions from White House adviser Scott Atlas, a doctor who does not have a background in infectious diseases and is affiliated with the conservative Hoover Institution. Atlas has downplayed concerns about the virus spreading among people who are not elderly or in other high-risk groups, even saying it could be a good thing.

“When you isolate everyone, including all the healthy people, you’re prolonging the problem because you’re preventing population immunity,” Atlas said in a Fox News radio interview in July. “Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem. In fact, it’s a positive.”

Scott Gottlieb, Trump’s former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, countered that viewpoint in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece last weekend. “The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone,” he wrote, emphasizing that the virus needed to be contained.

The White House denies it is pursuing the population immunity or herd immunity strategy referred to by Atlas.

The criticism comes on the heels of new testing guidance from the CDC late last month that recommended cutting back on testing of asymptomatic people not in high-risk groups. The guidance said asymptomatic people do not need to be tested, even if they have been in close contact with an infected person, “unless you are a vulnerable individual or your health care provider or State or local public health officials recommend you take one.”

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Amid a firestorm from experts saying the country needs more testing, not less, CDC Director Robert Redfield sought to clarify the guidance but did not rescind it.

Democrats, meanwhile, are on the attack, pointing in particular to Republicans questioning the death toll.

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Theresa Greenfield, the Democratic Senate nominee in Iowa, said Ernst was pushing “dangerous conspiracy theories that undermine the very folks on the frontlines sacrificing to keep us safe.”

Helen Kalla, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, added: “We can’t afford leaders who peddle false information and dangerous conspiracy theories and refuse to take the pandemic seriously.”

Former Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) says he is close to making another run for his old Staten Island House seat to try to retake one of the nation’s most competitive congressional districts.

Grimm told Politico in an interview that he’s “90 percent of the way there to run.”

The former lawmaker served eight months in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud and went viral after threatening to throw a reporter off a balcony in Congress.

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Grimm ran for his old seat in New York’s 11th District in 2018, but lost by 26 points to then-Rep. Dan Donovan (R) in the GOP primary.

Donovan went on to lose to Democrat Max RoseMax RoseDe Blasio: Robert E Lee’s ‘name should be taken off everything in America, period’ The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: New America’s Anne-Marie Slaughter says countries around world are deciding not to trust US; All eyes on New York as city begins phased reopening Max Rose calls for National Guard to be deployed to NYC to enforce curfew MORE in the November general election.

“They don’t want rising Republican stars in New York City,” Grimm told Politico.

Grimm cast himself as a victim of the same Justice Department that waged a “witch hunt” by investigating allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in 2016.

“Who signed off on my indictment? James ComeyJames Brien ComeyGOP votes to give Graham broad subpoena power in Obama-era probe This week: Democrats introduce sweeping police reform package Graham postpones Russia probe subpoena vote as tensions boil over MORE,” Grimm told Politico, referring to the former FBI director fired by President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE. “It’s the same exact players and the same exact playbook.”

“The cloud is gone. It’s over; it’s in the past,” he added. “I’ve had a lot of colleagues call me and tell me they’d love to have me back.”

President Trump, who carried the district by about 10 points in 2016, endorsed Donovan over Grimm in 2018, though Grimm said he doesn’t hold any grudges over the decision.

“The president got involved to save an incumbent, which I respect,” Grimm said. “I wouldn’t want to be in a position now where the president would jump in again.” 

Rose’s seat, sitting in New York City’s only conservative-leaning borough, is one of Republicans’ top targets in the 2020 election cycle. 

“God bless him,” Rose told Politico of Grimm’s near-decision to run. “He’s just the gift that keeps on giving.”

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Washington Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeInslee calls on Trump to ‘stay out of Washington state’s business’ Seattle mayor responds to Trump: ‘Go back to your bunker’ Trump warns he will take back Seattle from ‘ugly Anarchists’ if local leaders don’t act MORE (D) is fundraising for his 2020 White House bid on President Trump’s claim that the noise from wind turbines “causes cancer.”

“Last night, Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE said something truly wild. I know, that’s saying a lot, but let me break it down for you: He said, ‘They say the noise [from wind farms] causes cancer.’ Seriously,” Inslee said in an email sent to supporters Wednesday.

“In case you needed any more proof that we need a climate president, this is it. In case you needed any more proof we have got to make sure climate change is center stage at the debates, well — you’ve got it. Our president is now sharing conspiracy theories about the noise from wind farms causing cancer. I’d say it doesn’t get any worse than that, but you never know what could come next,” Inslee added. 

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Trump made the unsubstantiated claim while delivering remarks at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual spring dinner Tuesday night.

“If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75 percent in value. And they say the noise causes cancer,” he said.

Trump has previously voiced his disapproval of wind power. He said at a rally in Michigan last month that wind power doesn’t work because the wind doesn’t always blow.

Inslee, who has centered his campaign around combating climate change, has previously called Trump’s positions on climate initiatives “moronic” and “narrow-minded.”

The Washington governor has not disclosed his first quarter campaign donations yet, but indicated in his email to supporters that he had not surpassed the 65,000 donors needed to qualify for the Democratic presidential debates.

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South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE (D) took aim at President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE in an interview published Friday, saying “the government’s been in some kind of crisis” ever since he came to the White House. 

Buttigieg’s answer came when asked by CNBC’s John Harwood in an interview clip published on Friday about whether the government was in crisis given the number of acting heads at different agencies and the recent overhaul of leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.

“I think the government’s been in some kind of crisis ever since this president arrived,” Buttigieg responded.

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“Not just when you have a vacancy, but frankly sometimes when you have an appointee who was hostile to the mission of the agency that she or he is heading up,” he continued.

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Buttigieg also addressed the recent resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen NielsenKirstjen Michele NielsenHillicon Valley: Twitter falling short on pledge to verify primary candidates | Barr vows to make surveillance reforms after watchdog report | DHS cyber chief focused on 2020 Sen. Kennedy slams acting DHS secretary for lack of coronavirus answers The ‘accidental director’ on the front line of the fight for election security MORE, saying the issues were not so much about personnel, but the agency’s policies.

“In the case of DHS, that’s a little bit different,” Buttigieg said. “Many of the concerns around DHS are not so much about the personnel but about the policies. And when you talk about family separation, or just the unpreparedness for some of the issues at the border, that’s a concern.”

“Americans need our government to work,” he added, even as he noted there could be a debate about the government’s role or its size.

“But fundamentally, I’ll be run out of a town on a rail if I couldn’t run a government,” the mayor said. “And what we are seeing in Washington, it’s hard to sink a ship but they seem to be doing their best, and these vacancies are going to be more and more of a problem.”

Buttigieg added when it comes to the Trump administration it was a “choose your poison thing.”

“I don’t know what’s worse: them being well staffed and pursuing policies that are destructive, or them being hamstrung by the ability to do much at all because there are so many key positions that are vacant.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

Buttigieg’s comments come as the mayor is surging in several polls of early primary states. Buttigieg now sits in third place in Iowa, according to a recent poll, behind Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) and Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE, who has not yet announced a bid for the White House.

Former Massachusetts Gov. William WeldWilliam (Bill) WeldVermont governor, running for reelection, won’t campaign or raise money The Hill’s Campaign Report: Amash moves toward Libertarian presidential bid Libertarians view Amash as potential 2020 game changer for party MORE (R) argued Wednesday that it wasn’t “spying” when the FBI investigated the Trump campaign in 2016, breaking with Attorney General William BarrBill BarrMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ MORE.

“The thing a couple weeks ago where [Barr] said if the FBI opens an investigation on a Trump organization, that’s ‘spying.’ That’s not spying,” Weld, who has launched a 2020 primary challenge against President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE, said during an interview on CNN’s “New Day.”

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“When an agency opens an investigation, it may be a lot of things, it may be bad news for the target. But it’s not spying. It’s just opening an investigation,” he added.

Barr said during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing last week that he believed the Trump campaign was spied on in 2016 and added that he needed to “explore” the issue.

“I think spying did occur,” Barr said. “But the question is whether it was adequately predicated, and I’m not suggesting it wasn’t adequately predicated, but I need to explore that.”

He later attempted to clarify his statement before lawmakers, saying he was concerned “improper surveillance” may have occurred in 2016 and he was “looking into it.”

Trump has long called for a probe into the origins of the investigation of his 2016 campaign and has since seized on Barr’s remarks, which Democrats have called for the attorney general to walk back.

“There was absolutely spying into my campaign,” Trump told reporters last week. “I’ll go a step further. In my opinion it was illegal spying, unprecedented spying and something that should never be allowed to happen in our country again.”

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