Higher earnings push U.S. stocks higher; Microsoft and other technology stocks lead the way

10/25/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • APTOPIX-Wall-Street-17

    Specialist Peter Giacchi, center, calls out prices during the IPO of Sprague Resources on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Oct. 25, 2013. Earnings gains from Microsoft and other big U.S. companies are pushing the stock market higher in early trading. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    • NEW YORK — Earnings gains from big U.S. companies  pushed the stock market higher today.

    Microsoft led the Dow Jones industrial average up after reporting a jump in sales of tablet computers.

    The Dow rose 61 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 15,570 today.

    The Standard & Poor’s 500 rose seven points, 0.4 percent, to 1,759, another record high. The S&P also closed at a record high Tuesday.

    The Nasdaq composite rose 14 points, or 0.4 percent, to 3,943.

    Technology stocks were among the biggest gainers.

    Microsoft rose $2.01, or 6 percent, to $35.73 after beating analysts’ forecasts for revenue and earnings. The company is shifting from PC-based software to devices and services.

    Three stocks rose for every two that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was average.