Markets flat Friday

NEW YORK, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. markets slipped slightly Friday after six consecutive gains on a day with no economic reports to influence investors.

The Dow Jones industrial average, which started Monday at 16,221.14 points, gave up 1.47 points Friday or 0.01 percent, dropping to 16,478.41, notching a gain of 255.27 points for the week. The Standard & Poor's 500 index, at 1,818.32 Monday, lost 0.62 points Friday, 0.03 percent, to 1,841.40, up 23.08 points for Christmas week. The The Nasdaq composite index of tech-dominated stocks shed 10.59 points or 0.25 percent Friday to 4,156.59. On the week, the Nasdaq was up 51.85 points.

On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,602 issues advanced while 1,482 declined. Trading was light with 2 billion shares trading hands.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 added 0.03 percent or 4.50 points to 16,178.94. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index added 63.69 points or 0.27 percent to 23,243.24.

In Europe, London's FTSE 100 gained 56.70 points, 0.85 percent, to 6,750.87. The French CAC 40 added 59.24 points, 1.4 percent, to 4,277.65.

The 10-year U.S. treasury lost 3/32 to yield 3.007 percent.

The euro traded lower at $1.374 and the dollar was slightly higher against the yen at 105.19 yen.

Gold gained $1.50 to $1,213.80 per troy ounce. Silver added 12.9 cents to $20.04.

Crude oil was up 61 cents to $100.16 per barrel.

On the Chicago Board of Trade, March corn was up 1 1/4 cents to $4.27 1/2 a bushel. March soybeans gained 7 3/4 cents to $13.13 and March wheat added 2 cents to $6.08.