Palo Alto-based VMware Inc. (VMW) continued its climb of the past few days Thursday, increasing more than 3.6 percent by the close of the markets, making it the biggest mover among the local stocks tracked by the Examiner.

Mountain View-based Versign Inc. (VRSN) also rose more than 2.9 percent, while Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) posted the largest drop of the day, falling more than 2.4 percent. LSI Corp. (LSI) fell more than 2 percent.

Local companies in the news included Redwood City-based Oracle Corp. (ORCL), where CEO Larry Ellison reportedly exercised options for 1 million shares, and Palo Alto-based Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), which faced allegations of patent infringement from Acer Inc.