Stocks rose in light volume on Thursday as investors returned to financial and technology shares on bets the recent rally could have more room to grow after a brief pullback.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 46.43 points, or 0.56 percent, to close unofficially at 8,331.32. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 9.08 points, or 1.03 percent, to 893.00. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 25.02 points, or 1.50 percent, to 1,689.21.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Leslie Adler)