What to watch

Today heralds (expected) arrival of six IPOs

Six companies are expected to test Wall Street’s appetite for IPOs today, showing the best market for new stock since the dot-com boom was in full swing.

It’s the busiest day for initial public offerings since there were six IPOs on Jan. 31, says Renaissance Capital. It’s not just the number of deals that investors watch, but the mix of industries represented. Four of the week’s deals are tech plays. Investors are keenly watching the reception of tech deals, since the industry has been a laggard in the IPO boom so far. Of the year’s 46 IPOs, just five have been in technology. A vast majority, 26, have been in biotech. If tech IPO reception is strong, the industry might regain its role as a powerful contributor.

The week’s most-watched IPO is also the largest: A10 Networks. The company, which makes equipment that boosts the performance of data centers, filed plans to raise $175 million. Other noteworthy tech deals this week include software companies Amber Road, Borderfree and Globoforce. Globoforce, though, is an example of where investors remain picky about deals, including in tech. The Dublin-based maker of software for business on Thursday reduced the number of shares it planned to sell from 4.4 million to 3.8 million, Renaissance says.

So far, investors seem receptive toward tech. Shares of software company Paylocity are up 53% since the March 19 IPO. King Digital, a video game maker, comes next week with a roughly $500 million IPO.