MICROSOFT Corporation shares rose to a record high and boosted other technology stocks after better-than-expected second quarter results prompted one analyst to upgrade the group's 1997 and 1998 earnings forecasts.

The group said on Friday its second-quarter earnings per share rose to 57 cents compared with analysts' expectations of 51 cents.

Goldman Sachs analyst Mr Richard Sherlund said he had raised his full-year 1997 earnings per share forecast to $2.35 from a previous estimate of $2.05 while the 1998 forecast was upgraded to $2.75 from $2.40.