Stocks pare losses to finish mixed after oil spikes

May 17, 2008 02:13 pm

— NEW YORK — Wall Street capped a week of big gains with modest moves Friday as investors grappled with surging energy prices that overshadowed news of a surprise increase in home construction.
Investors hoping for an economic rebound in the second half of the year and searching for signs that the housing market is bottoming got some relief before the market opened: the Commerce Department’s report that home construction jumped 8.2 percent in April.
But investors were clearly sidetracked for much of the session by energy prices and their effect on consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. The price of a barrel of oil spiked to $127.82 for a new trading record on Friday.