The markets had a mixed session to end the week, but they did come on at the end of the day to close at the highs for the afternoon and in some cases the highs for the day.

The day started out with a move down and a sharp one, particularly on the Nasdaq 100, which led the way down today. But when the NDX and S&P 500 made lower lows mid-morning, they held near key support, stabilized, and then for a couple hours consolidated, with the S&P making a higher low and the Nasdaq 100 double-bottoming in early afternoon, which triggered a strong snapback move that took the NDX from 1894 to 1924, before they backed off late into the session. But in the last 5-10 minutes they came on again.

Net on the day the Dow was up 43, just under 12,900, and the S&P 500 up 9.03, just under 1398, but the Nasdaq 100 was down 6 today. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOXX) was down 0.26, so flat action there.

Technicals, however, were positive by 3 to 2 on advance-declines on New York and by about 4 to 3 on Nasdaq. Up/down volume was better than 2 to 1 positive on New York on total volume of 1 1/4 billion. Nasdaq traded about 1.9 billion and had about a 5 to 4 negative plurality.

So it was a mixed session, to say the least.

TheTechTrader.com board was also very mixed, but there several sharp gainers. Shippers had a strong day, with DryShips (DRYS) up 2.27, Excel Maritime (EXM) up 1.99 and TBS International (TBSI) up 2.32.

Other stocks of note, Immersion Corp. (IMMR) had a very strong session after announcing a new president and CEO, closing at 9.98 up 1.59 on 1.4 million.

Progenics (PGNX) on FDA approval of one of their drugs jumped to 13.40, up 2.76, although that was 2.30 off its high earlier in the day when it was trading up over 15, on 9 million traded.

VMware (VMW) at 64.84 was up 3.32 today, snapping back strongly.

WM closed up 53 cents, PSTI up 37 cents, China Finance Online (JRJC) up 79 cents. Solar energy stocks also rallied late in the day, with JA Solar (JASO) up 52, Canadian Solar (CSIQ) up 49 cents, and Solarfun (SOLF) up just 6 cents.

On the downside, Energy Conversion Devices (ENER) was down 1.16 today, the only point-plus loser on our board.

Stepping back and reviewing the hourly chart patterns, the indices did well today by holding support and rallying back to close out the week positively for the blue chips, but slightly lower on Nasdaq. We'll see how it goes next week.

Harry Boxer is a technical consultant to many Wall Street hedge funds and large institutional traders, and author of TheTechTrader.com, a real-time diary of his day, swing and intermediate-term trades. For more of Harry Boxer, sign up for a free 15-day trial to his Real-Time Technical Trading Diary, or sign up for a free 30-day trial to his Top Charts of the Week service.