By David French (Reuters) -Wall Street benchmarks ended modestly higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite posting its latest record finish, despite a chaotic half hour when news reports suggested U.

President Donald Trump sent the U.S. stock market on a jagged round trip after saying he had “talked about the concept of firing” the head of the Federal Reserve.

Top voices on Wall Street have expressed alarm over the idea that Trump could fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, emphasizing the need for Fed independence.