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U.S. stocks gyrated to a mixed close on Friday as investors headed into the Christmas holiday weekend, having digested cooler-than-expected inflation data which firmed bets for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the new year.
All three indexes turned less decisive in light trading as the afternoon progressed, after an initial rally on data showing inflation is easing closer to the U.S. central bank’s target.
The S&P 500 rose Friday after cooler inflation data, with the major averages registering an eighth straight winning week as Wall Street looked to extend its year-end rally.
The broad market S&P 500 gained 0.17% to 4,754.63. The Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.19% to 14,992.97. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 18.38 points, or 0.05%, to 37,385.97.
The three major averages notched their eighth positive week in a row – a first for the S&P 500 since 2017 and for the Dow dating back to 2019. The S&P 500 advanced by 0.8% for the week, while the Dow added 0.2%. The Nasdaq jumped 1.2% in the period.