Around the World's Markets: New York

STOCKS WERE stronger in early afternoon Wednesday as technology issues reversed direction and headed higher. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 108 points, or 0.96 per cent, at 11,267.

"It looks to me as if some of the selling has just dried up." said Bill Allyn, head of trading at Jefferies & Co.

The technology-laden Nasdaq composite index was up 35.76 points, or 1 per cent, at 3,607.42.