Around the World's Markets: NEW YORK

US STOCKS rose, led by computer-related and Internet shares such as Dell Computer and America Online, on optimism for surging sales. "The market's telling you that technology is the place to be because that's where the earnings growth is," said one analyst.

The Nasdaq Composite Index, packed with computer and Internet stocks, rose 54.21, or 2.8 per cent, to 2003.75, the index's biggest rise since 15 October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 16.99 to 9133.54, led by IBM.