Blue-chip stocks escaped with small gains on Wall Street yesterday, but only after a bigger rally unravelled as a long list of global uncertainties proved too hard to ignore.

The Dow Jones industrial average finished just 36 points higher at 8,602 after retreating from a 122-point gain and briefly dipping into negative terrain.

Several broad-market indexes also finished higher, but the number of declining issues surpassed advancers despite trailing by a substantial margin in the morning.

The opening rally was fuelled by big gains in the technology and financial sectors, the two industries deemed most vulnerable to the global economic turmoil that has rattled the market for more than a month.

There were mixed signals as to whether domestic business activity will remain vigorous enough to offset the economic slowdown overseas.

The Standard and Poor's 500 rose 4.68 to 1,092.82.