(Updates with market moves at the end of the day, and other changes, if any.)
US stocks rose Friday after a four-day slump to trim weekly losses, even as expectations grew that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates as soon as next week amid mounting inflation concerns.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1% each to close at 52,573.29 and 26,333.04, respectively. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% to 7,656.98. Barring utilities and healthcare, all sectors ended in the green, led by communication services.
The holiday-shortened trading week saw the Dow shedding 1.6%. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq logged weekly losses of 0.8% and 0.7%, respectively.
In economic news, US consumer inflation hit a three-month high in August as energy prices rose, while the core measure unexpectedly accelerated, official data showed.
"With oil prices up significantly in recent weeks, again hovering around $100 per barrel and underlying price pressures in services remaining sticky, a (Fed) rate hike at next week's meeting now appears all but certain," TD Economics said in a note.
The probability of the US central bank increasing its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points next week jumped to 87% Friday from 72% Thursday, according to the CME FedWatch tool. The odds pointing to another Fed pause fell to 13% from 28%.
US consumer sentiment weakened in September, while inflation expectations rose, with the year-ahead price growth outlook reaching the highest reading since June, preliminary results of a University of Michigan survey showed.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 2% at $100.44 a barrel in Friday late-afternoon trade, while Brent dropped 2.6% to $104.80. However, both benchmarks were on track for their second consecutive weekly advances as tensions in the Middle East intensified earlier in the week.
Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said Friday that the kingdom shut down its key East-West crude oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions as a precautionary measure a day after the facility was targeted in multiple attacks. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis reportedly launched strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure in recent days.
A six-member bloc of Gulf states is considering talks with Iran next week over the future of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important chokepoint for crude flows, news outlets reported Friday.
The International Energy Agency on Friday projected a steeper contraction in oil demand this year as the Middle East conflict is expected to hamper production and push energy prices higher.
Diesel prices in the US surged past $6 per gallon for the first time ever Friday amid concerns over energy supply disruptions that in turn could fuel inflation.
Treasury yields were higher, with the two-year rate up 7.5 basis points at 4.63% and the 10-year rate rising 2.7 basis points to 4.97%.
In company news, Dell Technologies (DELL) shares jumped 12%, the second-biggest gain on the S&P 500, as RBC Capital Markets initiated its coverage of the computer maker's stock with an outperform rating and a $640 price target.
Dell is well positioned to benefit from the multiyear artificial intelligence infrastructure spending cycle, RBC said in a note.
ACV Auctions (ACVA) shares surged 44%, while Copart (CPRT) fell 2.6%. Late Thursday, the companies said Copart will acquire ACV Auctions for $10.50 per share in cash, representing an implied equity value of roughly $1.9 billion.
Spot gold edged up 0.7% to $4,348.43 per troy ounce, while silver was little changed at $64.94 per ounce.
