Stocks ended the week higher on Friday as mild inflation data and improving retail sales created a brighter economic picture. Strong quarterly earnings at General Electric Co. bolstered the gains. Nonetheless, the major indexes finished lower for the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 70.75, or 0.7 percent, to 10,287.34. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 9.73, or 0.8 percent, to 1,186.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 17.61, or 0.9 percent, to 2,064.83.
