Stem Cells Lift Biotech HOLDR

The Biotech HOLDR led a rally among
the tradable tech funds Thursday, while the Energy Spider fell with crude.

The Biotech HOLDR
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surged
4.1%, the day’s biggest gain among the exchange-traded
funds
. Components of the basket of biotechs moved in sympathy with
stocks of stem-cell research firms. 

The group rallied on news that the
federal government would fund research involving embryonic stem cells. StemCells
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moved ahead 2 9/32 to 9 21/32, Geron
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6 3/16 to 31 11/16.

The Internet HOLDR
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rose
2.2%, the Nasdaq 100 Tracking Stock
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1.6%, the B2B Internet HOLDR
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1.5%, the Dow Jones Internet Index iShares
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1.4%.

On the downside, the Energy SPDR
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lost 2.4%, the sharpest loss among the ETFs. Crude oil prices fell 39 cents to $31.63 a
barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The White House suggested the
government could tap the strategic petroleum reserve to ease high heating oil prices this winter.