By Dow Jones Business News, February 26, 2013, 03:22:00 PM EDT
By Rex Crum, MarketWatch
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Tech stocks rose in late trading Tuesday, with Apple Inc. among the gainers as rumors
circulated that the company might announce a stock split at its annual shareholders' meeting.
Apple ( AAPL ) rose $5.06 a share, or 1.2%, to $448.18 as speculation rose about the possibility of the company
announcing a stock split at its annual meeting on Wednesday. Apple officials didn't immediately return requests for
comment. Apple has done two-for-one stock splits three times in its history, with the most recent coming in February
2005.
The overall market also got a lift from the latest U.S. housing data, which showed that the nation's home sales rose
in December.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (RIXF) managed to rise more than 11 points to 3,127, while the Philadelphia
Semiconductor Index (SOX) and the Morgan Stanley High Tech 35 Index (MSH) were each up about 0.6%.
Intel Corp. ( INTC ) was among the tech-sector leaders on the rise, as the semiconductor giant's shares rose 2% to $
20.64. Late Monday, Intel said it would begin making chips on the part of Altera Corp. ( ALTR ) in a move that could help
Intel with costs associated with developing new chip technologies.
Design-software company Autodesk ( ADSK ) saw its shares rise 1%, to $37 a day after it reported fourth-quarter results
that rose from the same period a year ago, and exceeded Wall Street analysts' estimates.
Shares of the online travel site opetaror Priceline.com Inc. ( PCLN ) rose $2 to $673.11 ahead of the company's
quarterly results, due after the market close.
Gains also came from International Business Machines Corp. ( IBM ), Microsoft Corp. ( MSFT ), Hewlett-Packard Co. ( HPQ )
and Seagate Technology ( STX ).
Amazon.com Inc. ( AMZN ) fell slightly to $259 a share. The online retailer announced a content-licensing agreement with
Sony Pictures Television ( SNE ) that includes exclusive online subscription rights to the FX Network series "Justified."
Groupon Inc. (GRPN) shares fell 2.2%, to $5.47 ahead of the company's quarterly results on Wednesday.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-26-131522ET
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