Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.6%), Nasdaq Composite (+0.8%), and DJIA (+0.2%) continue to chart a higher course with an hour left in today's session. With today's gain, the S&P 500 is back in modestly positive year-to-date territory. 

The information technology (+1.1%) and financials (+1.1%) sectors remain today's standouts, while gains are more modest elsewhere.

Microsoft (MSFT 382.44, +11.58, +3.12%) is a mega-cap outperformer today, as it is the only "magnificent seven" stock to hold a gain of 1.0% or wider. Software stocks as a whole are maintaining their solid gains today, with the IGV up 4.9%.

Separately, crude oil futures settled today's session $2.42 higher (+2.5%) at $98.97 per barrel, well off earlier highs.