Stocks rose yesterday with technology stocks at the front of a drive to new post-September 11th highs on growing confidence in a US economic revival that came with official word of a recession.

The wheezing economy entered a recession in March, ending a record 10-year expansion, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the panel that dates US business cycles.

Yet, the panel discussed a return to economic health. Ben Bernanke, Princeton University professor and panel member, said that based on past patterns of recessions lasting six to 18 months "we would expect a trough, beginning a recovery, by July next year."

Intel, the second most active Nasdaq stock, rose 81 cents to $31.87. Intel has devised a new structure for transistors - the tiny switches that make up semiconductors - in a development the company said could lead to microprocessors that run at blazing speeds and consume far less power than conventional ones.

Also, Amazon.com, shot up $3.13, or 34.5 per cent, to $12.21, on encouraging news for online shopping for the holiday season.