BUZZ - After Accenture released its financial report, the IT consulting company led software stocks higher

October 1 - ** As IT consulting firm Accenture (ACN.N) forecasted its fiscal year revenue growth to exceed market expectations, US software stocks rose in pre-market trading (link)

** ACN shares surged 17.8% in pre-market, reaching $216.5

** IT consulting company stocks rose: Clarivate Technology Solutions (CTSH.O) rose 7.3%, International Business Machines (IBM.N) rose 5.8%

** Shares of Indian IT firms Wipro WIT.N and Infosys INFY.N listed in the US jumped 10.3% and 7.3% respectively

** The software sector as a whole surged: software provider EPAM Systems EPAM.N rose 7%, business software supplier Salesforce CRM.N rose 3.6%, enterprise software maker ServiceNow NOW.N rose 3.8%, and software producer Atlassian TEAM.O rose 3.7%

** Windows developer Microsoft MSFT.O rose 1.2%, tax software company Intuit INTU.O rose 3.3%, human resources software company Workday WDAY.O rose 2.4%, Photoshop developer Adobe ADBE.O rose 2.3%

** The broader iShares Expanded Technology-Software Sector ETF IGV.Z rose 1.3%

** If the rally holds, Accenture's opening share price will hit a more than six-month high

** As of the previous trading day close, the S&P 500 Software & Services Index .SPLRCIS is up 1% year-to-date, after having dropped as much as 26.8% earlier this year

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