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Empresas y finanzas

Stocks end higher on recovery hopes


    NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended sharply higher on Friday as investors were reassured by comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on prospects for an economic recovery. Confidence also was helped by stronger-than-expected housing data.

    The Dow Jones industrial average rose 155.91 points, or 1.67 percent, to end unofficially at 9,505.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 18.76 points, or 1.86 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,026.13. The Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 31.68 points, or 1.59 percent, to close unofficially at 2,020.90.

    For the week, the Dow rose 2 percent, the S&P 500 gained 2.2 percent and the Nasdaq rose 1.8 percent.

    (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)