: Dow Jones ekes out gain Friday, stocks mostly advance for the week as Israel-Gaza war escalates

U.S. stocks closed mostly lower Friday, but the Dow Jones and S&P 500 posted weekly gains, as the Israel-Gaza war appeared to escalate heading into the weekend. The Dow Jones Industries DJIA rose about 39 points, or 0.1%, on Friday, ending near 33,670, according to preliminary FactSet data. The S&P 500 index SPX fell 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP closed 1.2% lower. The S&P 500’s energy segment outperformed Friday, gaining 2.3%, as U.S. benchmark crude surged nearly 6% after Israel ordered more than a million people in Gaza to evacuate to the south. Treasury yields fell, with the 10-year Treasury BX:TMUBMUSD10Y rate retreating to 4.628% Friday, snapping a 5-week yield climb, according to Dow Jones Market Data. Bond prices and yields move in the opposite direction. Investors bought other haven assets too, including gold GC00 and the U.S. dollar DXY. Wall Street’s “fear gauge” VIX also touched its highest level in more than a week. Even so, the Dow Jones booked at 0.8% weekly gain, the S&P 500 advanced 0.5% and the Nasdaq fell 0.2%.

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