Dow advances 650 points as stocks stage biggest rally in 3 weeks

U.S. stocks finished sharply higher on Friday, snapping a five-day losing streak thanks in part to stronger-than-expected retail sales data and a moderation in inflation expectations. But Friday’s rally — which marked the best daily performance in three weeks — still wasn’t enough to overcome earlier losses, leaving stocks with a weekly loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA,
+2.15%
gained 658.09 points, or 2.2%, to 31,288.26. The S&P 500
SPX,
+1.92%
advanced 72.78 points, or 1.9%, to 3,863.16. The Nasdaq Composite
COMP,
+1.79%
climbed 201.24 points, or 1.8%, to 11,452.42.