US STOCKS-S&P 500 resumes record run on economic rebound hopes

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* Snap Inc rises after rating upgrade
* Economy-linked stocks outperform
* Job openings rise more than expected in Feb
* Indexes: Dow down 0.09, S&P up 0.16%, Nasdaq rises 0.40%

(Adds comment, details; updates prices)
By Medha Singh and Shivani Kumaresan
April 6 (Reuters) - The S&P 500 hit a record high for the
fourth straight session on Tuesday as economy-linked and tech
stocks gained ground on confidence that the U.S. economy is on
its path to a roaring rebound.
Among major S&P sectors, energy .SPNY , consumer
discretionary .SPLRD and consumer staples .SPLRCS
outperformed. Financials .SPSY and real estate .SPLRCR
slipped.
The S&P 500 and the Dow reached record levels with the CBOE
volatility index .VIX retreating to pre-pandemic lows, driven
by fiscal stimulus packages and swift COVID-19 vaccinations in
the United States that led to blowout employment as well as
service sector reports for March.
Between optimism over stimulus, a reduction in COVID-19
infections and increased vaccine rollouts, there are worries
about how the stimulus is going to be paid for, increase in
taxes and the potential for higher inflation, said Rick Meckler,
partner at Cherry Lane Investments in New Jersey.
Tech and other growth stocks .RLG have awakened after
lagging in recent weeks behind so-called value stocks .RLV
that are expected to outperform as the economy emerges from the
coronavirus pandemic.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq is now about 3% from its February
record high after falling as much as 12% from that level.
Progress in President Joe Biden's new infrastructure
proposal and the start of the earnings season in the coming
weeks could dictate the course of stock markets, analysts said.
Data on Tuesday showed U.S. job openings increased more than
expected in February. At 11:39 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI
was down 30.28 points, or 0.09%, at 33,496.91 and the S&P 500
.SPX gained 6.57 points, or 0.16%, at 4,084.48. The Nasdaq
Composite .IXIC rose 54.28 points, or 0.40%, at 13,759.87.
Snap Inc SNAP.N jumped 5.3% after Atlantic Equities
upgraded its rating on the photo-messaging app owner's shares to
"overweight" from "neutral". Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd NCLH.N added 5.5% as it
said it would begin sailing outside the United States from the
Caribbean and Greek Isles in July, restarting trips after a
year-long hiatus brought on by the pandemic. Illumina Inc ILMN.O gained 8.5% after the gene-sequencing
company set current-quarter revenue target ahead of analysts'
expectations. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.7-to-1 ratio
on the NYSE and by a 1.2-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P index recorded 17 new 52-week highs and no new low,
while the Nasdaq recorded 58 new highs and five new lows.