U.S. Stocks Eke Out Gains, End Week Higher

U.S. stocks ended the week with a whimper, but still recorded modest weekly gains, the fourth in a row. Upbeat economic data, such as retail sales and consumer confidence did little to push prices higher. The S&P 500 ended fractionally higher at 2,039.82, registering the highest close in history. The benchmark index gained 0.4% over the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 18 points, or 0.1%, to close at 17,634.74 and eked out a small gain over the week. The Nasdaq Composite closed 8.4 points, or 0.2%, higher at 4,688.54, as gains in the Internet stocks outweighed losses in biotechs. The tech-heavy index gained 1.2% over the week.