The reason for the failure of the tech sector to double-dip in March is because it was already gearing up for a potentially big fourth quarter thanks to Windows 7.

Tech stocks fight for gains in early trading as the sector tries to build upon the prior session’s advance and Applied Materials announces a deal to buy semiconductor-equipment maker Semitool Inc.

Applied Materials will acquire Semitool for $364 million, a deal that will position the semiconductor-components maker to take advantage of a global recovery in the chip business.

Shares of Applied Materials Inc. fall Thursday, a day after the chip equipment maker posted a drop in quarterly profit.

Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Thursday’s session are Alliant Techsystems, Anheuser-Busch Inbev, Applied Materials, Computer Sciences, Greenbrier, Kohl’s, Nash Finch, 3Com, Urban Outfitters, and Wal-Mart.

Combination makes Applied Materials the leader in high-growth equipment market for advanced packaging of chips for mobile devices