Wall Street ends the week on the back foot

U.S. stock indices closed largely lower on Friday after a spate of data from the world's largest economy that showed no-change in industrial production last month, while the UoM consumer confidence survey showed improvement in March alongside the current economic conditions and consumers' future expectations indices in the same survey, but consumer's expectations for one-year and five-year inflation fell. 

The CB leading index rose by the same rate as the previous reading, while the labor conditions index stayed the same in February. 

Two days ago, the Federal Reserve increased overnight interest rates to between 0.75% and one percent, before unveiling their three-forecasts for inflation, growth, unemployment, and interest rates. 

Fed Chair Janet Yellen based the rationale behind the rate hike in her post-meeting press conference on the strong improvement in the labor sector, and as inflation rises towards the bank's 2% target. 

Dow Jones closed down 0.10%, or 19.93 points to 20,914, while Standard and Poor's 500 shed 0.13%, or 3.13 points to 2,378.25. NASDAQ Composite barely moved to 5,901.00. 

Gold futures due on April 15 rose 0.25% to $1,230.20 an ounce from the opening of $1,227.10, while the dollar index inched down 0.05% to 100.30 from the opening of 100.36. 

On on another note, U.S. crude futures due on April 15 rose 0.06% to $48.78 a barrel from the opening of $48.75, while Brent crude futures due on May 16 moved up 0.04% to $51.76 a barrel from the opening of $51.74.