Stocks Finish Tough Week With Slight Gains

Export prices were flat, versus the forecast 0.2% increase.

Overseas markets were weak. The FTSE 100 in London closed down by 0.11%, while the DAX in Germany fell 0.58%. Japan's Nikkei average settled down 0.9% on Friday and Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed behind by 0.85% even after data showing better-than-expected increases in Chinese industrial production and retail sales.

Gold for December delivery tacked on $4.90 to settle at $1,730.90 an ounce at the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, while the December crude oil contract was up 98 cents to close at $86.07.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury was unchanged, leaving the yield stuck at 1.618%. The dollar was up 0.28%, according to the U.S. dollar index.

In corporate news, Priceline.com (PCLN) pulled off a surprise deal late Thursday to acquire Kayak Software (KYAK) for $1.8 billion in cash and stock, valuing the shares at $40 each. Priceline shares slipped 0.32% while Kayak's stock rose nearly 28%.

J.C. Penney (JCP) shares lost nearly 5% after the retailer posted a steeper-than-forecast third-quarter loss driven by deteriorating sales as customers remained very unreceptive to the company's new pricing strategy that is skewed toward everyday low pricing rather than big sales.

Shares of Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) jumped more than 14% after the motion picture production and distribution company posted much stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results, boosted by the home video release of "The Hunger Games."

Zipcar (ZIP) shares soared nearly 16% after the car sharing network company reported stronger-than-anticipated third-quarter results as its membership rose 18% from a year ago.

Groupon (GRPN), the online deals company, reported a surprise loss for its third quarter with revenue of $568.6 million missing Wall Street's consensus view of $590.1 million. Groupon shares plunged close to 30%.

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions (MDRX) said Thursday it's exploring strategic alternatives, perhaps selling itself to a third party. Shares of the provider of electronic health record services lost less than 1%.

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