Stocks rose on Thursday (May 1) as a rebound in the dollar and retreating oil prices calmed fears about inflation, renewing investors' appetite for riskier assets, including undervalued technology shares. The three major indexes closed at the highest level since the first half of January as equities extended a rally started in mid-March on optimism that credit markets and the economy have begun to stabilize. Investor confidence was on the mend a day after the Federal Reserve trimmed rates again and hinted at a pause in its recent campaign to lower borrowing costs. Financial stocks were the main beneficiaries, led by a nearly 7 percent surge in shares of American Express. The Nasdaq was powered by a 3.5 percent jump in shares of Apple Inc on news it will sell movies on iTunes the same day they are available on DVD, giving further momentum to the company's lucrative iPod franchise. The Dow Jones industrial average shot up 189.87 points, or 1.48 percent, to...