Oil costs' fall buoys Wall Street dragged by AI losses | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Oil prices easing provided a lift to U.S. stocks on Friday, but weakness in artificial intelligence names kept the market from fully advancing. The S&P 500 ended nearly flat, slipping less than 0.1% to mark only its second losing week over the past 13, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 44 points (0.1%) and the Nasdaq declined 0.2%. Brent crude dropped 3.8% to $72.60, returning below the levels seen the day before U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, an event that resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and reduced global shipments. The easier energy backdrop helped fuel-cost sensitive companies such as American Airlines Group, which rose 1.7%. Healthcare stocks were among the strongest after the European Medicines Agency recommended approvals and extensions, including a 7.1% jump for Eli Lilly. AI stocks faced selling pressure tied to concerns that profits may not keep pace with prior rallies, with Micron down 6.7% and SpaceX swinging from -2.9% to +3.5% before finishing up 0.2%.