The Dow Jones industrial average edged close to the 13,000 mark Friday, a milestone it hasn't reached since May 2008 - a few months before the financial crisis brought the U.S. economy to its knees.
The Dow rose 45.79 points, or 0.4 percent, to finish at
12,949.87, its highest close for the year so far. That followed a
123-point surge Thursday.
The Conference Board reported Friday that its index of leading
economic indicators climbed 0.4 percent in January, the fourth
straight monthly rise, adding to evidence that the economic recovery
is solid.
The gauge is designed to anticipate conditions three to six
months out.
For the week, the Dow rose 1.2 percent; the Standard & Poor's 500
rose 1.4 percent; and the Nasdaq composite rose 1.7 percent.
The Dow is up 6 percent in 2012.
