U.S. stocks rallied further on Wednesday, sparked by strong results from bellwether Intel Corp that lifted hopes for a rebound in technology spending and fueled optimism for the earnings season.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 248.56 points, or 2.97 percent, to 8,608.05. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 26.53 points, or 2.93 percent, to 932.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> jumped 60.44 points, or 3.36 percent, to 1,860.17.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Jan Paschal)