Stocks Inch Up After Mixed Reports

Stocks closed higher Friday on Wall Street following a batch of mixed news on the economy. The Dow climbed 176.44 points, or 0.5%, to 33,203. The S&P 500 rose 22.43 points, or 0.6%, to 3,844; the benchmark index still wound up with its third weekly loss in a row, the AP reports. The Nasdaq was up 21.74 points, or 0.2%, to 10,497. A key measure of inflation continued to slow, but it's still far higher than anyone wants to see. Also, growth in consumer spending weakened last month by more than expected, though incomes were a bit stronger than expected.

Markets are in a tricky spot where relatively solid economic data reduces the risk of a recession but also raises the threat of higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve. "The economic numbers announced today highlight the difficulty for investors today, where weak numbers bring recession fears and strong numbers bring Fed fear," said Louis Navellier of the growth investing firm Navellier & Associates, per CNBC. "It’s now much more of a stock-picking market," he added.

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