Stocks Climb at Open

The FOMC is meeting today, but most market watchers expect the panel to leave rates unchanged.

Internet stocks were solidly higher out of the gate as the major market barometers opened up modestly, while in Washington, the

Federal Open Market Committee

is meeting today.

Most analysts expect the Fed to leave interest short-term rates unchanged. The federal funds rate is currently at 4.75%.

TheStreet.com Internet Sector

index was up 7 to 427.

The Nasdaq Comp was up 6 to 2144 after closing yesterday at an all-time high of 2138.03, up 51.89, or 2.5%. The

S&P 500

was up 1 to 1204. The S&P 500 also closed at an all-time high yesterday at 1202.84, up 14.81, or 1.3%.

The

Dow Jones Industrial Average

was up 34 to 9023.

The

Russell 2000

was up fractionally to 402.

Brokerage stocks were surging early on. The

American Stock Exchange Broker/Dealer Index

was up 2%.

The 30-year Treasury bond was lately down 19/32 to 102 30/32, yielding 5.11%.

Merck (MRK) - Get Report, up 1 3/16 to 145 1/4

uBid (UBID) , up 15 3/8 to 99 1/2

Texas Instruments (TXN) - Get Report, down 1 3/16 to 87 7/8

Monarch Dental (MDDS) , down 4 3/4 to 3 7/8

: The company said fourth-quarter and full-year net earnings would fall short of expectations.

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