Major US stock indices slightly added on Friday, despite reports of a new provocation from North Korea and the publication of a block of unexpectedly weak US statistics.

Retail sales in the US fell in August for the second time in three months, reflecting less car purchases and the reluctance of Americans to spend on various consumer products such as clothing and electronics. According to the government on Friday, sales in retail chains across the country fell by 0.2%, which was the biggest decline in six months. Economists predicted an increase of 0.1%.

The results of the studies published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed that the production index of the region slightly weakened in September, but was better than the average forecasts of economists. According to the data, the production index in the current month fell to +24.4 points compared to +25.2 points in August. Previous value was not revised. Economists had expected the index to fall to 19.0 points.

Industrial production fell in August, mainly because of the devastation from Hurricane Harvey, the Federal Reserve said. Industrial production fell by 0.9% last month, well below expectations of Wall Street. This is the biggest decline since May 2009, when the economy was in recession. Economists forecast an increase of 0.1% in August.

Most components of the DOW index have grown (19 out of 30). The leader of growth was the shares of The Boeing Company (BA, +1.54%). Outsider were shares of General Electric Company (GE, -1.36%).

Most sectors of the S & P index showed an increase. The conglomerate sector grew most (+ 0.8%). The health sector showed the greatest decline (-0.2%).

At closing:

Dow + 0.29% 22.268.34 +64.86

Nasdaq + 0.30% 6.448.47 +19.39

S & P + 0.18% 2,500.23 +4.61

U.S. stock-index futures were slightly lower on Friday, reacting to the latest North Korean provocation and weaker-than-expected U.S. data on the retail sales and industrial production in August.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 19,909.50 +102.06 +0.52%

Hang Seng 27,807.59 +30.39 +0.11%

Shanghai 3,353.67 -17.76 -0.53%

S&P/ASX 5,695.02 -43.65 -0.76%

FTSE 7,201.26 -94.13 -1.29%

CAC 5,210.64 -14.56 -0.28%

DAX 12,530.32 -10.13 -0.08%

Crude $49.97 (+0.16%)

Gold $1,327.80 (-0.11%)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

Coca-Cola (KO) initiated with a Neutral at Macquarie; target $47

Procter & Gamble (PG) initiated with a Outperform at Macquarie

FedEx (FDX) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS

European stocks on Thursday ended a choppy session slightly higher, but saw gains capped as the Bank of England hinted rates could rise in coming months, and as disappointing data from China raised questions about the strength of the world's second-largest economy. Traders also appeared cautious about taking on more risk after the latest threats from North Korea.

The Dow closed at a record for a third session in a row on Thursday even as the broader market sagged on the back of weak retail shares. The S&P 500 index SPX, -0.11% shed 2.75 points, or 0.1%, to end at 2,495.62. Consumer sectors were the hardest hit, with Tiffany & Co. down 4.8%, and Kroger Co. KR, -2.16% falling 2.2%.

Asian stocks were broadly lower following North Korea's latest missile launch over Japan, but equities there rose slightly even as the yen strengthened. Moves across markets were largely modest early on, echoing how Asian market participants across asset classes have largely reacted to most of North Korea's missile launches this year. Although there was a brief selloff following the country's nuclear-bomb test earlier this month.