Wall Street ends higher after upbeat US industrial data

US stock indices closed the last session of the week higher, buoyed by industrial shares and paring the losses sustained earlier this week amid fears of a trade war, especially after recent reports about President Trump's potential plans to tax $60 billion worth of Chinese imports. 

Earlier US data showed drops in housing starts and building permits in February, while both industrial output and the capacity utilization rate rose past forecasts, and finally, University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey rose unexpectedly in March. 

The Federal Open Market Committee will meet on March 20-21 under Chair Jerome Powell for the first time, with policymakers expected to release three-year forecasts for inflation, growth, unemployment, and interest rates. 

Dow Jones rose 0.29%, or 72.85 points to 24,946.51, while Standard and Poor's 500 added 0.17%, or 4.68 points to 2,752.01, as NASDAQ Composite barely inched up 0.25 points to 7,481.99. 

Gold futures due on April 15 fell 0.33% to $1,313.50 an ounce from the opening of $1,317.80, marking a two-week low, while the dollar index rose 0.09% to 90.22 from the opening of 90.14. 

Otherwise, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures due on April 15 rose 1.70% to $62.23 a barrel from the opening of $61.96, while Brent futures due on May 15 rallied 1.52% to $66.11 a barrel from the opening of $65.12, marking a two-week high.