US share prices closed broadly higher, although major indices retreated sharply from early highs that had been reached on futures related buy programmes.

The Dow Jones average closed up 10.75 at 6,484.39, off an early high of 6.548.98, the SP 500 rose 3.12 to 748.88, the NYSE composite gained 1.96 to finish at 394.11, the NASDAQ composite was down 7.31 at 1,288.55 and the Amex composite rose 0.60 at 674.71.

Volume on the New York Stock Exchange was a very heavy 655.79 million shares, with 1,620 higher, 958 lower and 824 unchanged.

Analysts said market trends were entirely dictated by the quarterly "triple witching" expiration of futures and options contracts, with little major corporate or economic news to focus on.