Shares of technology companies rose as traders chased gains in artificial-intelligence issues.

Excitement built ahead of Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang's unveiling of new chips. "Investors are waiting with baited breath to see any new developments at the conference, which is Nvidia's first in-person conference held since 2019," said J.D. Joyce, president of Houston financial advisory Joyce Wealth Management.

"Nvidia might be as important to this rally as the Fed."

Shares of Alphabet rose sharply after Bloomberg News reported that Apple is in active talks with Google to use its artificial-intelligence Gemini products in new software for the iPhone.

Shares of Super Micro Computer fell after the AI-related company entered the S&P 500 index.


Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-18-24 1756ET