Trading volume on the New York Stock Exchange was brisk, while advancing shares barely outpaced declines, 15 to 14.

Volume on the New York Stock Exchange totalled 170.6 million shares, with declining shares outpacing advancing shares 9 to 7.

Among advancing shares were the American depository receipts for Nokia A.B., the Finnish maker of telecommunications equipment.

"The breadth was the strongest it's been in many trading days," said Lawrence R. Rice, chief investment strategist for Josephthal, Lyon & Ross, referring to the large number of advancing shares compared with losers.