Tech Stocks Lead Rally

A rally in the technology sector is pushing US stocks to broad gains Monday, led by Apple and chipmakers, the AP reports. The S&P 500 posted its biggest increase since late January. Nvidia was the index's strongest performer after agreeing to buy chipmaker Mellanox. Apple benefited from an analyst upgrade. The S&P 500 gained 40 points, or 1.5%, to 2,783. The Nasdaq, heavily weighted with tech stocks, jumped 149 points, or 2%, to 7,558. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 200 points, or 0.8%, to 25,650. A sharp drop in Boeing shares restrained the Dow's advance. The upbeat start Monday follows the worst week of the year for the S&P 500. Stocks were helped by a US government report showing retail sales rose slightly in January after falling in December. (More stock market stories.)