Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.8%), Nasdaq Composite (+1.0%), and DJIA (+0.8%) sit near session highs just before midday as stocks advance in broad fashion with solid leadership across tech names. 

The information technology sector (+1.5%) leads the nine advancing S&P 500 sectors today after a flat finish yesterday. Dell (DELL 132.62, +6.70, +5.32%) holds the widest gain in the sector after its largest EPS beat in three quarters, while strength across chipmakers pushes the PHLX Semiconductor Index 2.5% higher. 

Five other S&P 500 sectors hold gains of 1.0% or wider amid another day of solid breadth figures, with advancers outpacing decliners by a roughly 3-to-1 margin on the NYSE and a roughly 5-to-3 clip on the Nasdaq. 

Only the communication services (-0.3%) and health care (-0.1%) sectors trade lower after recent stretches of outperformance. Alphabet (GOOG 319.79, -3.85, -1.19%) faces some profit-taking today, though it is still up 6.3% for the week. 

Outside of the S&P 500, the Russell 2000 (+0.7%) and S&P Mid Cap 400 (+0.8%) hold gains similar to those of their larger-cap counterparts.