The leading indexes ended higher after a back-and-forth session Thursday, as stocks climbed after the opening bell for about half the day, then began to trim gains.
The Nasdaq rose 0.6% to an early afternoon peak, then settled to close 0.4% higher. The S&P 500 pitched up and down for an hour after the open, and closed 0.2% higher. The Dow industrials added 0.3%.
Small caps had a good day. The S&P Smallcap 600 jumped 1.5%. The index's 21st gain in the past 25 sessions left it comfortably at a record high.
Investors had mixed opinions on the European Central Bank's decision to extended its quantitative easing stimulus through December 2017, although it said it would trim its monthly bond-buying efforts to near $64 billion, from $86 billion, beginning in April. Eurozone markets rallied, with led by a 1.8% gain from the DAX in Frankfurt.
Stock s also received mixed input from U.S. weekly jobless claims data, which were positive, but not down as much as economists had expected.
Goldman Sachs (GS) led the Dow by a broad stride, ending up 2.4% in heavy volume. The stock is extended after clearing a 17-month consolidation.
The rebounding Edwards Lifesciences (EW) outpaced all other S&P 500 stocks with a 7% gain. Wynn Resorts (WYNN) took the index's hardest hit, down 11% as regulators in China moved to limit ATM withdrawals in the country's gambling haven of Macau.
Consumer lenders were among the day's clear winners, outpacing all other industry groups. China-based Yirendai (YRD) popped more than 5%. That lifted the IBD Global Leaders Stock back above its 50-day line within a four-month base-building effort.
In the same group, Michigan's Credit Acceptance (CACC) rumbled up 7%, clearing a 210.09 buy point. The stock is thinly traded.
Fiber-optic stocks also figured into Thursday's upside, with Ciena (CIEN) storming up 14% after its mixed fiscal fourth-quarter results included an order backlog of $1.15 billion, which management claimed was the company's "highest ever." The gain left the stock extended past a couple of alternative buy points. The standard buy point was at 23.19 in a double-bottom base.
Also in the fiber optics group, Lumentum Holdings (LITE) bolted 10% higher, clearing the 42.60 buy point of a cup with a deep handle.
Finisar (FNSR) charged ahead 5% in heavy trade, putting it 7% above a 31.52 buy point from a flat base. After the close, shares rallied as the company reported quarterly adjusted profit of 58 cents a share, an increase of 132%.
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