NEW YORK - U.S. stocks closed higher Friday, giving an extra lift to weekly gains, as investors focused on strong corporate results and the positive aspects of a largely disappointing monthly jobs report.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 29.89 points, or 0.3 percent, to 12,092.15. A 1.5 percent rise in the shares of Kraft Foods Inc. led gains for 20 of its 30 components.
The Dow has now closed higher for the past five straight trading days, and is trading near its highest levels since mid-2008.
The S&P 500 index ended up 3.77 points, or 0.3 percent, at 1,310.87, with technology companies faring the best and utilities the worst among its 10 industry groups. The Nasdaq composite index rose 15.42 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,769.3.
The major indexes spent much of the day notching small gains or losses after the U.S. government reported the economy created only 36,000 jobs in January, missing forecasts of a 140,000 gain.
MARKETWATCH
