MIDDAY LUNCH

Dow 10123.64  +85.25, Nasdaq 2174.47  +26.59, S&P 1075.16  +7.33 

Gains today are broad based, but financials continue to lag are they are the only major sector to trade with a loss.

European banks are also weak as Gordon Brown, of the United Kingdom, indicated in a Financial Times report that leading economies are close to agreeing on a global bank tax. Barclays (BCS) 16.95, -0.46 and Deutsche Bank (DB) 61.38, -1.36 are especially weak.

The natural resource sector has posted gains despite a stronger dollar.  Energy stocks are up +1.4% and oil prices are up +1.0% to $75.25 per barrel.  Meanwhile, materials stocks are up +1.2% and gold prices are up +1.6% to $1093 per ounce.  The CRB Commodity Index is up +0.9%.

Tech stocks are having a good day, they are up +1.2% amid strength in large-cap tech issues like Apple (AAPL) 198.31, +3.19 and Intel (INTC) 20.10, +0.41 and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) 329.92, +6.52 is up +2.0%.