Palm Inc. The Nasdaq rose 7.06, or 0.3 percent, to 2500.58. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 13.27, or 0.1 percent, to 10,705.71. Seven stocks rose for every six that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading is expected to be slow this week, with many investors and traders off for the holidays. New York Stock Exchange volume yesterday was the lowest for a full day in almost three months.
Investors buy drug stocks for steady earnings growth in a slowing economy.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. and Symantec Corp., which also make computer security software, fell.