NATIONAL

Stocks finished another erratic session modestly higher Wednesday after durable goods and home sales data helped ease investors’ anxiety about whether the Federal Reserve will continue raising interest rates.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow added 18.97, or 0.17 percent, to 11,117.32, after swinging nearly 70 points in both directions. The Dow is 4.5 percent below a six-year closing high of 11,642.65, reached May 10. Broader stock indicators turned higher in the last hour of activity. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 1.99, or 0.16 percent, to 1,258.57, and the Nasdaq composite index gained 10.41, or 0.48 percent, to 2,169.17.

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LOCAL


Capstone Turbine Corp., which received an important certification for its products from the New York City Department of Buildings, jumped 14 percent to $3.36. Dreamworks Animation SKG Inc., which was upgraded to “buy” from “hold” at Soleil Securities, rose 6 percent to $27.10. Stamps.com Inc. gained 6 percent to $31.30. j2 Global Communications Inc., whose target share price was raised to $56 from $53 at First Albany, added 3.5 percent to $51.67. Semtech Corp., which was cut to “hold” from “buy” at American Technology Research, rose 0.17 percent to $15.28.

Global E-Point Inc. fell 11 percent to $2.44. CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. dropped 6 percent to $71.57. Cogent Inc. was down 5.4 percent to $15.45. Saehan Bancorp fell 4 percent to $16.25. Paula Financial, which announced an acquisition, was down 3 percent to $2.40.