TECH STOCKS: Apple, Amazon Spur Tech Sector Gains

By Rex Crum, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Tech stocks were broadly higher Thursday, with Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc. the leading gainers in an upbeat trading session.

Amazon (AMZN) shares rose 2.6% to $347.74 a day after the company announced Brian Olsavsky, a vice president for Amazon's global consumer business, will succeed Chief Financial Officer Tom Szkutak, who plans to retire next summer.

Apple (AAPL) was up by almost 1% at $99.67 as anticipation continued to grow over what is expected to be the unveiling of the iPhone 6 at an Apple event on Sept. 9. Read why Apple CEO Tim Cook is facing a make-or-break week.

Twitter Inc. (TWTR), eBay Inc. (EBAY), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Facebook Inc. (FB) also notched gains.

Shares of digital-camera maker GoPro Inc. (GPRO) lost more than 4% to $54.50. Before the market opened, J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster cut his rating on GoPro to neutral from overweight, citing GoPro shares' rapid pace of growth. They're up 137% since GoPro went public on June 25.

Other decliners included Pandora Media Inc. (P), Groupon Inc. (GRPN) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ).

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (RIXF) rose 20 points to 4,591 and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) was also in positive territory.

(Read more about the days market action in Movers & Shakers http://www.marketwatch.com/storyno-meta-for-guid.).

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