NEW YORK, April 27 ― US stocks closed higher yesterday, buoyed by a rally in megacap growth stocks following robust quarterly results from technology heavyweights Alphabet and Microsoft in addition to moderate inflation data.

Investors cheered Alphabet's first-ever dividend, its US$70 billion (RM333.7 billion) stock buyback programme, and better-than-expected first-quarter results. Its shares jumped 10 per cent and reached a record high, lifting the Google-parent's market value above US$2 trillion.