Stocks Up as Inflation Fears Ease

(TheStreet) -- Stocks strengthened Friday as consumer price data eased concerns about inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up by 71 points, or 0.6%, at 12,356. The S&P 500 was higher by 7 points, or 0.5%, at 1321, and the Nasdaq was up by 4 points, or 0.2%, at 2765. Prices at the consumer level rose 0.5% in March, after similar growth last month. The increase met economists' expectations, according to Briefing.com. The core rate, which strips out food and energy costs, and is considered the most accurate read on inflation, inched 0.1% higher, as expected. That compares with an uptick of 0.2% in February. Continue reading the article.