Consumer, tech stocks pressure Wall Street

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks ended mostly higher in a volatile session Thursday as better-than-expected economic data and German approval of a stronger euro-zone crisis fund soothed two of the worst fears hanging over the market.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 143.08 points, or 1.30%, to end unofficially at 11,153.98. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was up 9.34 points, or 0.81%, at 1,160.40. But the Nasdaq Composite Index was down 10.82 points, or 0.43%, to close unofficially at 2,480.76.