By Gavin Adamson

(March 10 – 17:00 ET) – Markets closed the week off in a familiar manner — techs up, traditional blue chips down.

The TSE jumped ahead by 73.47 points, led by the usual suspects, BCE and Nortel. BCE added C$3.50 to $177.50, and Nortel was up $2.05 to $181.05. Ballard Power, the hydrogen fuel cell company, pushed ahead, and Hudson’s Bay Co. led the retail sector higher. Twelve of 14 sectors finished higher today, but most of them just marginally.

The CDNX was boosted again by its high-tech sector, which added 2.2%. The main index edged up 102.24, to 4,454.75.

The Dow dropped more than 81 points, to close at 9,928. Procter & Gamble and its competitors, Clorox and Colgate-Palmolive, dragged the index down again. Decliners beat out advancers 16-12 on the NYSE.

Chase Manhattan is rumoured to be looking for another broker/dealer acquisition, which pushed many of the Wall St. companies higher.

Winners edged out losers on the Nasdaq 21-20. The index closed up 42.29 to 5,089. Dell and Microsoft in particular helped to buoy the index.