MIDDAY MARKETS: Techs charge ahead

Techs began their charge towards next week's earnings reports, leading the bulls in midday trading Tuesday. The Nasdaq ran up 43.51 to 2,784.53, while the Dow Jones industrial average rose 79.79 to 11,219.03.

Inter@ctive Week's @Net Index rose 11.52 to 333.

After the long hot weekend investors continued last week's buying streak. Prudential Securities technical research director Ralph Acampora backed them up with his prediction the year-end target for the Dow Jones industrial average could be as high as 12,000 to 12,300. That's an increase from his previous target of 11,500, but still a "conservative estimate," according to a source cited by Reuters.

The source also said that Acampora now "holds out the possibility" that the Dow could finish the year at 12,500 to 13,000.

drkoop.com Inc. (Nasdaq: KOOP) grew 10 7/16 to 34 1/16 after Internet service provider America Online Inc. (NYSE: AOL), up 7 1/2 to 122 3/4, announced an alliance with the online public health care directory.

Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) shares also flew, up 1 9/16 to 65 1/16, though analysts can't agree on expected earnings.

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) added 3/8 to to 91 5/8 while Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) gained 1/8 to 17 5/16.

Global Crossing Ltd. (Nasdaq: GBLX) was up 1 9/16 to 41 9/16 after company officials announced it had completed its $850 million acquisition of Cable & Wireless Plc's undersea cable unit.

Solectron Corp. (NYSE: SLR) rose 2 3/16 to 69 5/16 as insiders were reported to be diversifying.

Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) shot up 9 1/4 to 187 3/8 while Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) rose 5 5/16 to 129 3/8. Lycos Inc. (Nasdaq: LCOS) rose 2 15/16 to 102 3/4 and Infoseek Corp. (Nasdaq: SEEK), fell 2 7/16 to 53 7/16. Excite@Home (Nasdaq: ATHM), rose 3 5/16 to 58 1/4 and Mindspring (Nasdaq: MSPG), added 2 1/2 to 51 1/8. CMGI Inc. (Nasdaq: CMGI) gained 7 5/8 to 122.

Among PC-related issues: Gateway Inc. (NYSE: GTW) rose 11/16 to 62 3/16, Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL) added 1/8 to 37 1/4, and Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE: CPQ) added 3/8 to23 5/8. Apple Computer Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) moved up 1 1/16 to 47 3/8 and IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) fell 1/8 to 132 1/8.

Applied Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: APMC) fell 3/4 to 3 3/8 after a downgrade and profit warning. Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) jumped 1 1/2 to 68 9/16. 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq: COMS) lost 1/8 to 26 5/8, and Lucent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: LU) picked up 1 5/16 to 72.

Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL) tacked on 9/32 to 38 23/32, AT&T Corp. (NYSE: T) added 1/2 to 57 5/16 and Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) gained 1 9/16 to 71 5/8.