Blue-chip stocks gave back moderate gains in the final minutes of trading in New York yesterday to close down, but the Nasdaq composite inched higher to hit a record level for the third consecutive session.

The Dow Jones industrial average ended 13.13 lower at 9,345.70, breaking two days of gains.

The blue-chip index had opened higher after European stocks scored strong overnight gains and Washington released an economic report that indicated new strength in the manufacturing sector.

The Standard and Poor's 500 fell 6.66 at 1,272.98, but the technologyheavy Nasdaq composite index rose 4.31 to 2,510.20. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 6-to-5 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,665 up, 1,382 down and 516 unchanged.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 1.14 to 426.08.