Modest rise gives stocks a third straight week of gains

Stocks are closing higher after a day of meandering, giving the market its third straight week of gains.

Company earnings were in focus again Friday.

General Electric rose 3 percent, the most in the Dow Jones industrial average, after the industrial conglomerate reported earnings that beat analysts' forecasts.

Schlumberger slid 2 percent after the company announced job cuts. Other oilfied service providers also fell.

The Dow edged up 74 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,215.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose nine points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,033. The Nasdaq composite climbed 16 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,886.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.03 percent.

By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer. Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Gayly – October 16, 2015 @ 3:50pm.