Blue chips, S&P 500 gain for 6th straight week
Nasdaq turns in 5th consecutive week of gains
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks rose slightly Friday on another low-volume, low-volatility trading day, extending their summer winning streak after economic data showed a rise in consumer sentiment in August.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (US JIA) closed up 25.09 points, or 0.2%, at 13,275.20, with 13 of its 30 components trading in positive territory, to finish the week up 0.5% for its sixth consecutive week of gains.

United Technologies Corp. (US:UTX), Travelers Cos. (US:TRV), and Caterpillar Inc. (US:CAT) led gainers on the Dow.

The S&P 500 index (US:SPX) advanced 2.65 points, or 0.2%, to close at 1,418.16, with the technology and industrials sectors leading the way higher, finishing the week up 0.9%. Like the Dow, it’s the S&P 500’s sixth week of gains in a row, the longest weekly winning streak since January 2011.

The Nasdaq Composite Index (US:COMP) finished up 14.20 points, or 0.5%, at 3,076.59, for a 1.8% weekly gain, its fifth week in a row of gains.

On Friday, the University of Michigan-Thomson Reuters consumer-sentiment index rose to a preliminary August reading of 73.6 from a final July reading of 72.3, while economists polled by MarketWatch expected the index to decline to 71.8.
http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-08-17/ma...lity-index