Apple shares up after probe reports
SEC said to review statements regarding CEO Jobs' health.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Shares of computer and music player maker Apple Inc. rose Wednesday amid reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission has opened an investigation into disclosures about chief executive Steve Jobs' health.
Shares of the company were up $2.19, or 2.8%, to $80.39.
The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News both reported that an inquiry is underway, citing people familiar with the matter.
A SEC spokesman would not confirm or deny the investigation. Apple also declined to comment.
Jobs announced last week that he would be on medical leave until the end of June as his health problems had become "more complex" than previously thought.
That caught many investors off guard, coming only nine days after Jobs said he has a "hormone imbalance" that could be remedied with a "relatively simple and straightforward" treatment.
Speculation about Jobs' health had been widespread as his dramatic weight loss had become more apparent in recent months. Jobs underwent treatment for pancreatic cancer in 2004, but Apple has denied that the disease has returned.
Jobs, one of the founders of Apple, is closely associated with the fate of the company, and analysts have criticized Apple for not providing additional details on his condition.
Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) is set to release fiscal first-quarter earnings after the close of trading Wednesday. Analysts expect the company to report earnings of $1.39 per share and sales of $9.7 billion, according to a consensus of estimates gathered by Briefing.com. 
