NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks climbed on Tuesday, driving the S&P 500 to its best month since October 2002, as investors snapped up top-performing bank and technology shares as the first quarter came to an end.
Upbeat news from Europe set the tone for financials, helping them recover much of Monday's losses and continue a recent robust rally after British bank Barclays (BARC.L) declined to take part in a government asset-protection plan.
Technology shares added to a strong three-week rally after brokerage Davenport recommended investors buy Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), pointing to increased demand for personal computers in China and the United States, and potential restocking of inventories in Europe.
Even as the broad S&P 500 rose 8.5 percent in March for its best one-month percentage gain since October 2002, uncertainty about the struggling economy left the benchmark U.S. stock index down 11.7 percent for the first quarter.
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