The Dow Jones industrial average rose 5.42 to 5,573.41, after rebounding from an early dip and then retreating from a gain of about 20 points in the afternoon.

Decliners outnumbered advancers by about 8 to 7 on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,106 up, 1,265 down and 776 unchanged. NYSE volume totaled 342.52 million shares vs. 391.05 million in the previous session.

Broad-market indexes were mostly higher.

The NYSE composite rose 0.42 to 351.24. The S&P 500 list gained 0.70 to 654.16.

At the American Stock Exchange, the market value index fell 0.82 to 592.75.

The Nasdaq composite recovered from some early profit-taking and reached a record high for the eighth straight session. It rose 0.12 to 1,187.01.

The index has surged in recent weeks as investors grew bullish about the prospects for computer-related businesses and smaller enterprises in an improving economy.

Bond prices slid today, with long-term interest rates jumping above 6.8 percent.

As the focus turned from earnings to Friday's data on April employment, trading grew relatively calm. The past two monthly employment reports have sent financial markets plunging after revealing bigger-than-expected gains in new jobs.