US STOCKS SNAPSHOT-Housing data, techs drive Wall St higher

NEW YORK, March 17 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks surged on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq up more than 3 percent, as an unexpected rise in February housing starts and an upbeat broker comment on bellwether Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) gave investors confidence.

* Housing starts jumped 22.2 percent in February, the biggest percentage rise since January 1990. [ID:nN17421065]

* The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 126.64 points, or 1.76 percent, to 7,343.61. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX gained 18.88 points, or 2.50 percent, to 772.77. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC jumped 45.43 points, or 3.24 percent, to 1,449.45. (Reporting by Rodrigo Campos)