U.S. stocks end mostly higher on hopes for EU rescue fund, better U.S. data: Nasdaq lags

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch)
U.S. stocks closed a roller-coaster trading session Thursday with gains for two of three indexes, led by blue-chips.
After rising as much as 260 points and falling 45 points, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 143.08 points, or 1.3%, at 11,153.98, led by Travelers Cos. , Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
The S&P 500 ended up 9.34 points, or 0.8%, to 1,160.4.
The Nasdaq Composite fell 10.82 points, or 0.4%, to 2,480.76.
 "High volatility in a relative tight trading range tells you the market is uncertain about the economic outlook over the next 12 months.
All we're seeing is within a day, what we've seen many times day to day," said Rod Smyth, chief investment strategist at Riverfront Investment Group.