US STOCKS-Oracle lifts Nasdaq as options expiration arrives

                                
   
                                
 * Oracle jumps after quarterly results, outlook
                                
 * Quadruple witching volatility muted
                                
 * Indexes up: Dow 0.1 pct, S&P 0.1 pct, Nasdaq 0.5 pct
                                
 * For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US]
  (Updates to close)
                                
 By Chuck Mikolajczak
                                
 NEW YORK, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The Nasdaq rose on Friday
after reassuring earnings and an upbeat outlook from Oracle,
with the broader market flat as the traditional trading
volatility expected by the expiration of options failed to
materialize.
                                
 Oracle Corp <ORCL.O>, the world's No. 3 software maker,
jumped 8.3 pct to $27.46, and led the Nasdaq higher after it
posted better-than-expected results and gave an outlook that
topped Wall Street's forecasts.
                                
 The close of trading on Friday marked the quarterly
expiration of September equity futures and option contracts, a
convergence known as "quadruple witching," which tends to
increase volume and swings in trades. Strategists said trading
was relatively subdued, however, heading into the close.
                                
 "A lot of folks were surprised -- they were hoping they
might get a little more volatility due to the quadruple
witching and maybe that might create some trading
opportunities, but they've been disappointed," said Bernie
McSherry, director of strategic initiatives at Cuttone &
Company in New York.
                                
 "The market has been fairly flat and volume has not really
been up to levels that people were hoping for."
                                
 The S&P 500 managed to overcome briefly key technical
resistance around 1,130, pushing through intraday highs from
June and August. A decisive move above that level on solid
volume would be a bullish sign.
                                
 The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 13.02
points, or 0.12 percent, to 10,607.85. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index <.SPX> added 0.93 points, or 0.08 percent, to
1,125.59. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> climbed 12.36
points, or 0.54 percent, to 2,315.61.
                                
 For the week, the Dow rose 1.4 percent, the S&P 500 gained
1.5 percent and the Nasdaq gained 3.3 percent.
                                
 Support for the S&P 500's 200-day moving average remains
around 1,116, a level it vaulted on Monday.
                                
 Texas Instruments Inc <TXN.N> gained 3 percent to $25.73
after the chipmaker increased its stock repurchase program and
boosted its quarterly dividend by 8 percent. [ID:nN17421065]
                                
 Research in Motion Ltd <RIM.TO> <RIMM.O> advanced 0.3
percent to $46.64, giving up most of its early gains as
analysts mostly cut share price targets for the BlackBerry
maker, focusing on tough competition and a weak U.S.
performance rather than RIM's robust results. [ID:nN17164687]
                                
 The option expirations meant options trading had its
busiest day in a year on Thursday, led by a surge in call
trades. The total put-to-call ratio, often used to gauge market
sentiment, fell to its lowest level since Dec. 24, 2009,
according to Scott Fullman, director of derivative investment
strategy at WJB Capital Group.
                                
 Volume was light with about 8.3 billion shares traded on
the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and
Nasdaq, below last year's estimated daily average of 9.65
billion.
                                
 Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by
three to two, while on the Nasdaq, advancers beat decliners
about four to three.
                                
(Additional reporting by Doris Frankel; Editing by Padraic
Cassidy)