NEW YORK — Having sprinted higher for three weeks, the stock market is taking a break.

Investors made few big moves yesterday after stocks rocketed 14 percent in just 16 days. The market closed with modest gains as many traders held their positions and looked toward the Labor Department's employment report on Friday.

Yesterday's mostly upbeat news helped prevent the market's pause from turning into the type of slide that can follow big jumps. Analysts have been predicting stocks would idle after such a strong run, and some saw investor caution at work.