S&P 500 Leaders & Laggards: PMCS NUE

The S&P 500 rose 9.92 to end at 1,401.89.

PMC-Sierra Inc. added 39 cents, or 6.3 percent, to close at $6.61 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. At a Wednesday conference, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based semiconductor manufacturer predicted a turnaround and said its business is improving.

Steel producer Nucor Corp. advanced $3.17, or 5.3 percent, to close at $63.12 on the New York Stock Exchange after the company said it expects higher demand to boost its 2007 performance.

Nordstrom Inc. added $2.26, or 4.5 percent, to $52.68 on the NYSE after the luxury department store chain beat February same-store sales expectations.

On the losing side, Costco Wholesale Corp. declined $1.86, or 3.3 percent, to $54.26. The retailer said its fiscal second-quarter profit dropped 16 percent.

Boston Scientific Corp. declined 48 cents, or 3 percent, to $15.47 on the NYSE.

Financial news publisher Dow Jones & Co. Inc. lost $1.04, or 2.9 percent, to $34.28 on the Big Board after the company said advertising sales at its flagship Wall Street Journal declined 10 percent in February. Total ad volume for the company dropped 6.6 percent in the month.