Stocks Head Higher, Dow Jumps Triple Digits

U.S. stocks headed higher on Friday, shaking off a rocky bout of trading a day earlier as investors digested a raft of economic reports, earnings and monthly car-sales figures. At close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 183.54 points, or 1.03%, to 18,024.06. The S&P 500 was up 22.78 points, or 1.09%, to 2,108.29. The Nasdaq Composite gained 63.97 points, or 1.29%, to 5005.39.

Consumer sentiment rose to a final April reading of 95.9, matching the preliminary monthly level and up from 93 in March, the University of Michigan said

Sixty thousand manufacturing jobs were added in the U.S. in 2014, versus 12,000 in 2003, either through so-called reshoring, in which American companies bring jobs back to the U.S., or foreign direct investment, in which foreign companies move production to the U.S., according to a study from the Reshoring Initiative.

Auto makers reported healthy sales growth in the U.S. during April, as demand for trucks remained strong throughout what is typically a slow month. General Motors Co., Nissan Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV each logged sales growth of about 6% in April, while Ford Motor Co. reported a 5.4% increase.

The House on Thursday approved a joint House-Senate GOP budget deal that outlines deep cuts in spending over the next decade. But many lawmakers were already looking for ways to ease more modest spending curbs this year.