Friday's mid-afternoon trade: S&P 500 edges higher

The S&P 500 rose slightly on Friday and was on track for its best week in three months as investors continued to propel equities near four-year highs. Two slightly softer economic reports curbed broader gains, keeping both the Nasdaq and Dow, which has risen for seven straight sessions, near break-even territory.
If the blue chip average closes higher, notching an eighth day of gains, that would mark the Dow's longest such run in more than a year. The benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index has risen 2.5 percent this week in its best weekly performance since mid-December. Investors, buoyant over the economic outlook, have pushed the S&P above 1,400 to its highest level since May 2008 after a surge of almost 30 percent from its low in October. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 4.58 points, or 0.03 percent, at 13,257.34. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 2.56 points, or 0.18 percent, at 1,405.16. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 1.44 points, or 0.05 percent, at 3,057.81.