Investing.com - U.S. stocks finished Friday mixed to lower after a lackluster trading session, with investors selling on news that pricing and industrial output data came in a little softer than expected, reminding the market that economic recovery will be a bumpy one, especially with oil prices on the rise.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.15% on Friday, the S&P 500 index was up 0.11% while the Nasdaq Composite index finished down 0.07%.
Earlier on Friday, industrial production numbers came in flat in February, below expectations for a 0.4% gain.
Core inflation rates, which are stripped of volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.1% in February, lower than expectations for a gain of 0.2%, while headline inflation rates rose 0.4%, in line with expectations, fueled largely by pricier gasoline.
Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Consumer Confidence index disappointed as well, coming in at 74.3 for March, below expectations for a reading of 75.7.
The news sparked concerns the U.S. economy remains weak, especially at a time of rising oil prices.
High gasoline prices often force U.S. consumers to spend less elsewhere when paying more at the pump.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Bank of America, up 6.06%, Alcoa, up 1.84%, and Cisco Systems, up 0.60%.
Leading index losers included United Technologies, down 1.62%, Microsoft, down 0.76%, and Wal-Mart Stores, down 0.64%.
European indices, meanwhile, were higher.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.55%, France's CAC 40 rose 0.41%, while Germany's DAX 30 finished up 0.19%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 closed up 0.42%.
In the U.S. on Monday, the National Association of Home Builders will release its Housing Market Index, which reveal the direction of single-family home sales.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.15% on Friday, the S&P 500 index was up 0.11% while the Nasdaq Composite index finished down 0.07%.
Earlier on Friday, industrial production numbers came in flat in February, below expectations for a 0.4% gain.
Core inflation rates, which are stripped of volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.1% in February, lower than expectations for a gain of 0.2%, while headline inflation rates rose 0.4%, in line with expectations, fueled largely by pricier gasoline.
Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Consumer Confidence index disappointed as well, coming in at 74.3 for March, below expectations for a reading of 75.7.
The news sparked concerns the U.S. economy remains weak, especially at a time of rising oil prices.
High gasoline prices often force U.S. consumers to spend less elsewhere when paying more at the pump.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Bank of America, up 6.06%, Alcoa, up 1.84%, and Cisco Systems, up 0.60%.
Leading index losers included United Technologies, down 1.62%, Microsoft, down 0.76%, and Wal-Mart Stores, down 0.64%.
European indices, meanwhile, were higher.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.55%, France's CAC 40 rose 0.41%, while Germany's DAX 30 finished up 0.19%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 closed up 0.42%.
In the U.S. on Monday, the National Association of Home Builders will release its Housing Market Index, which reveal the direction of single-family home sales.