Stocks Rise as Investors Await Fed Minutes; Amazon Third-Party Deliveries Surge

U.S. stocks rose Wednesday in the second trading session of 2017, though the Dow Jones Industrial Average has yet to hit the critical 20,000 level. Investors awaited the minutes of the Federal Reserve's December meeting, which are released in the afternoon. Analysts expect commentary on the path of interest rates in 2017 and the central bank's take on the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar. Amazon (AMZN) - Get Report shares were in focus after deliveries for third-party outlets rose 50% year over year during the holiday shopping season totaling more than two billion items in 2016. This part of Amazon's business falls under its Fulfillment by Amazon division, where outside retailers pay Amazon to package and ship items. Tesla (TSLA) - Get Report shares moved lower after missing 2016 delivery estimates. The automaker delivered 76,230 vehicles for the year, missing estimates of a range between 80,000 and 90,000.