Stocks ended a fitful session mostly higher in New York yesterday. Blue-chips and a smattering of technology stocks led the advance at the expense of some of the high-tech leaders that have powered the market this year.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 66.67, or 0.6 per cent, to 11,134.79. The Dow had risen as much as 136 points in morning trading, and briefly dipped into negative territory in the afternoon.

Broader stock indicators also shifted direction several times before finishing higher. The Nasdaq edged up to a new record on extremely high volume.

The Standard and Poor's 500 rose 4.23 to 1,408.11, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 8.15 to 3,598.63.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a three-to-two margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,877 down, 1,210 up and 489 unchanged.