Wall Street endured another roller-coaster session yesterday, with market averages recovering from punishing losses and finishing only moderately lower. The market's volatility underscored investors' nervousness, particularly about hi-tech stocks.

At its low point, the Nasdaq composite index wiped out virtually all the spectacular gains it piled on from early November until March 10th, when it peaked at 5,048.62. It finished the session down 26.14 at 3,364.26. The Dow Jones industrial average nearly matched the Nasdaq in volatility, plummeting more than 250 points before clawing back and finishing down 84.30 at 10,542.55.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a three-to-two margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,772 down, 1,179 up and 430 unchanged.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 12.91 to 466.79.