Stock indexes manage tiny gains, led by the energy sector

NEW YORK – Stocks closed slightly higher on Wall Street, led by energy companies as the price of crude oil turned sharply higher.

Murphy Oil jumped 5 percent Friday, and offshore drilling company Transocean gained 3 percent.

The price of benchmark U.S. crude rose more than 6 percent in New York.

Gap plunged 14 percent after reporting big drops in March sales. Other retailers also fell.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 35 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,576.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index climbed four points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,046. The Nasdaq composite added two points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,850.

The market is coming off its biggest loss in six weeks.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.72 percent.