Dow gains 71.77
to record

NEW YORK -- The blue-chip sector came back to life today after a week of sluggishness as technology and bank shares led the market to more record highs.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 71.77 points to 8,259.31, barely beating last Wednesday's record close of 8,254.89.

Advancers beat decliners by a nearly 2-to-1 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,868 up, 994 down and 552 unchanged. NYSE volume was 565.17 million shares vs. 525.67 million yesterday.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock list rose 7.95 to 960.32, and the NYSE composite index rose 4.40 to 497.00, surpassing Thursday's record highs by both measures. The Nasdaq composite index rose 8.86 to 1,630.39, its sixth straight closing high as big-name technology shares continued to rally.

The American Stock Exchange composite rose 3.41 to 654.06, and the Russell 2000 list of smaller companies rose 2.41 to 420.73, the third straight record high for both measures.

Technology shares, which had picked up the leadership slack left by the blue-chip sector in recent days, opened the session lower after a seemingly strong profit report from Cisco Systems, the leader in the computer networking market.

Cisco's results for its just-ended quarter, reported after yesterday's close, were in line with most forecasts, but disappointed those who had bid the stock up in hopes of a blockbuster showing.

Cisco fell in active Nasdaq trading, but most bellwether names shook off the weak start, led by Apple Computer, which surged after the surprise announcement that Microsoft Corp. agreed to form an alliance with Apple and invest $150 million in the struggling computer maker.