Extension Of Low Interest Rates Lifts Markets To Higher Close

On the upside

An Asian semiconductor ordered FSI International's (Nasdaq: FSII) FSI ORION wafer cleaning system.

Standard & Poor's placed timber company ratings on watch with positive implications lifting shares of Rock Tenn (NYSE: RKT) and Temple-Inland (NYSE: TIN).

WowWee Group made an offer of $2.40 per share for Optimal Group (Nasdaq: OPMR).

On the downside

Goldman Sachs downgraded Citrix Systems (Nasdaq: CTXS).

E-Trade (Nasdaq: ETFC) reported a sharp 20% sequential drop in trades for the month of February.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) launched its Sands Eco 360 Global Sustainable Development program to promote green business initiatives.

In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 5 to 2 on the NYSE and by more than 7 to 5 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks rose 4 points to 683.