Small stock focus: Nasdaq at another record, aided by tech issues; Open Vision and Sepracor gain as APS plunges
NEW YORK -- Sparked by tame inflation news and bolstered by the strength of the technology sector, small-capitalization and Nasdaq Stock Market issues jumped to records.</br></br>Still, while the Russell 2000 small-cap stock index hit its third record in the past four sessions, the small-cap market continues to underperform the broad market and blue-chip sector.</br></br>Computer-related stocks were one of the strongest industry groups. But echoing the overall market, larger tech stocks outperformed smaller ones.</br></br>"That's been the case since July," said Stephen Cohen, director of technology research at First Albany. In July, when the marketwide plunge took its severest toll on small-caps, many investors "were taught the Roach Motel lesson about small-cap stocks: They're easy to get into but tough to get out of."</br></br>The Russell 2000 rose 1.67, or 0.46%, to a record 367.52. The Nasdaq Composite Index, at a record 1346.36, was up 15.45, or 1.16%.