Stocks Ended Week Higher on Upbeat Jobs Data

U.S. stocks ended higher on Friday and notched weekly gains, with the Dow hitting yet another record and the S&P climbing for its sixth straight day after a payroll report that was much stronger than expected.  The Dow industrials advanced 67.58 points, or 0.5%, to 14,397.07, settling with a weekly gain of 2.2%. The S&P 500 index climbed 6.92 points, or 0.5%, to 1,551.18, leaving it with a 2.2% gain on the week. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 12.28 points, or 0.4%, to 3,244.36, rising 2.4% from the week- ago close.

Job growth surged last month as auto makers, builders and retailers pushed the unemployment rate to a four-year low, defying concerns that budget battles in Washington would harm the economic expansion.

News Corp. said Friday that it will spin off its publishing division with $2.56 billion in cash and no debt, giving it the means to invest in digital operations and acquire businesses.

Industrial machinery maker Gardner Denver Inc (GDI) agreed to sell itself to private equity firm KKR & Co LP (KKR) for $3.74 billion after the buyout firm raised its offer.