How major US stock indexes fared Thursday

U.S. stocks closed slightly higher Thursday, as volatility continues to be the dominant force in Wall Street’s tumultuous September.

The market notched widespread gains, though technology stocks powered much of the turnaround. Out of the S&P 500′s 11 sectors, only health care ended the day lower.

The market’s momentum has shifted with lightning speed recently, often changing direction by the hour, as investors grapple with uncertainty over the upcoming election, mixed economic data and doubts about the prospects for Congress to deliver more economic aid for struggling Americans.

On Thursday:

The S&P 500 rose 9.67 points, or 0.3%, to 3,246.59.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 52.31 points, or 0.2%, to 26,815.44.

The Nasdaq composite added 39.28 points, or 0.4%, to 10,672.27.

The Russell 2000 index of small company stocks inched up 0.36 points, or less than 0.1%, to 1,451.82.

For the week:

The S&P 500 is down 72.88 points, or 2.2%.

The Dow is down 841.98 points, or 3%.

The Nasdaq is down 121.02 points, or 1.1%.

The Russell 2000 is down 84.96 points, or 5.5%.

For the year:

The S&P 500 is up 15.81 points, or 0.5%.

The Dow is down 1,723 points, or 6%.

The Nasdaq is up 1,699.66 points, or 18.9%.

The Russell 2000 is down 216.65 points, or 13%.