Stocks Retreat

Indices closed out in the red zone on Friday. Stocks traded lower amid the release of mixed economic data. Consumer prices increased in February. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.7% last month, while the core measure, which excludes food and energy, ticked up 0.2%. In other news, consumer confidence is on the wane this month. In a preliminary reading, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey fell by 5.8 points to settle at 71.8, which was well shy of an expected reading of 78. Elsewhere, crude oil futures added 42 cents to settle at $93.45 a barrel.

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