01:32 PM EDT, 03/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Tech stocks were higher Monday afternoon, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) adding 0.8% and the SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) up 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 0.3%.

In corporate news, Apple ( AAPL ) is in talks to build Alphabet's (GOOG) Google Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone, according to a Bloomberg report. Apple ( AAPL ) advanced 1.6% and Alphabet rose 5.1%.