U.S. stocks extended gains on Wednesday, with the Dow and Nasdaq up more than 1 percent, as technology and financial shares advanced after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke vowed to keep interest rates low to foster an economic recovery.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 101.35 points, or 0.99 percent, at 10,383.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 9.89 points, or 0.90 percent, at 1,104.49. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 26.02 points, or 1.18 percent, at 2,239.46.

* The runup in stocks also coincided with a decline in the U.S. dollar, which has been inversely correlated with equities since the stock market's March 2009 bottom. The U.S. dollar index <.DXY> shed 0.5 percent.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Ben Bernanke