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US STOCKS GAIN EARLY WITH BOOST FROM FINANCIALS, TECH

Major U.S. stock indexes are higher in early trading, helped by gains in chip stocks and other technology shares.

Investors are keeping a close eye on news on the U.S.-Iran conflict, with Iran's armed forces launching attacks on U.S. military infrastructure in Gulf states on Thursday following U.S. strikes on Iran's southern coastal and eastern provinces.

The latest developments put more strain on a three-week-old ceasefire agreement.

The attacks came on the day that Iran buries its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the shrine of Mashhad, in the culmination of a week of mass funeral processions and rallies. Khamenei was killed in a U.S. airstrike on the first day of the war on February 28.

The S&P 500 technology sector .SPLRCT up about 1% and is leading sector gains along with financials .SPSY, which are also up around 1%. An index of semiconductors .SOX, which has seen much volatility recently, is up more than 4%.

Here is the early market snapshot:

(Caroline Valetkevitch)

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