Today was a mixed day overall for the markets, with two of the three major indices ending the day in the black. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEX: ^DJI) led the charge, closing up 0.76%. The S&P 500 closed essentially flat, up 0.07%, while the Nasdaq (INDEX: ^IXIC) finished slightly in the red, as disappointing earnings from Google helped drag it down 0.06%.
The Winners
But while the major indices as a whole didn't see huge moves today, three technology companies on the Dow posted some tremendous gains. Microsoft (NYSE: MSFT) was the Dow's biggest gainer today, skyrocketing 5.65%. The company beat analyst expectations on both revenue and earnings in its fiscal second quarter. Strong revenues from Microsoft's Office software and Xbox divisions helped the company overcome weak personal-computer orders.
IBM (NYSE: IBM) was the second-biggest winner on the day, surging 4.43%. The company also reported impressive earnings that beat analyst expectations. Operating profits per share increased by 11% as the company finished a record year for revenue and earnings per share. IBM's stock swung from negative to positive on the year after today's big gain.
The third-biggest Dow winner was Hewlett Packard (NYSE: HPQ), which ended the day up 3.61%. HP rode the tech wave higher on the day, and the company is now up over 9% on the year after a dismal 2011.
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