NEW YORK - Strong quarterly earnings from Marvell Technology Group Ltd. and Dell Inc. helped lift the Nasdaq 100 index in midday trading Friday as the broader markets were mixed on tepid economic data.
The index, which includes 100 of the largest nonfinancial securities listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, added 11.19 points to 2,030.21 in midday trading. The broader Nasdaq composite gained 12.37 points to 2,520.69.
Early Friday the Commerce Department said personal spending barely rose last month--0.2 percent--and that personal income growth fell sharply from March.
Shares of Marvell, which makes semiconductors, rose $3.15, or 22.5 percent, to $17.23.
Shares of Dell, the world's second-largest computer maker, gained $1.48, or 6.7 percent, to $23.30.
Shares of Infosys Technologies Ltd. added $3.12, or 6.9 percent, to $48.48.
On the declining side, shares of Irish airline Ryanair Holdings PLC fell 82 cents, or 3 percent, to $26.18.
Shares of Sears Holdings Corp. slipped $2, or 2.3 percent, to $84.09. The company, which operates Kmart and Sears stores, said earlier this week it swung to a first-quarter loss, which missed analyst estimates.
Shares of Costco Wholesale Corp. fell $1.69, or 2.3 percent, to $71.29. A Piper Jaffray analyst downgraded the company Friday, saying it will find it difficult to improve its gross margins in the fourth quarter and fiscal 2009 partly due to inflation and high gas prices.

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Shares of some top computers companies were down at the close of trading: Apple Inc fell $1.86 or 1.1 percent, to $173.53.


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