Reports Send Mixed Signals About Growth

Economy

Economic indicators sent mixed signals this week, but did nothing to seriously threaten the bullish attitude of investors.

Stocks eked out a slight gain Friday, but the Dow Jones industrial average had a net loss of 57.34 for the week leaving it below the 7,000 mark reached for the first time a week ago.

In economic reports this week:

Housing starts rose 2 percent in January to 1.35 million at a seasonally adjusted annual rate after dropping 11 percent a month earlier to 1.32 million, the Commerce Department reported.

The Commerce Department said that consumer prices edged up a barely perceptible 0.1 percent in January, as the year began with little sign of inflation outside of energy costs.

America’s trade deficit last year soared 8.7 percent to an eight-year high of $114.2 billion, the Commerce Department said, dampening economic growth but relieving price pressures. In December alone, the deficit jumped 29.6 percent to $10.3 billion.