Stocks end flat to up slightly , but down for week
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) – U.S. stocks closed flat to slightly higher on Friday after a choppy session with little economic news, finishing a down week on a mostly positive note. The S&P 500 (SNC:SPX) was roughly unchanged, edging down 0.18 point to close at 1,775.32, ending with a 1.7% decline for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI JIA) rose 15.93 points, or 0.1%, to 15,755.36, finishing with a 1.7% drop for the week. Those two indexes suffered their second straight weekly loss, pressured by speculation that strong recent economic data and the U.S. budget deal will push the Federal Reserve to taper its stimulus measures next week. It’s the first time they’ve dropped for two weeks in a row since the week ended Oct. 4. The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ:COMP) gained 2.57 points, or 0.1%, to finish at 4,000.98 on Friday. The tech-heavy index lost 1.5% for the week, after rising for four weeks in a row.