Major Indexes Mixed on Energy, Consumer Data

The consumer remains a point of concern on Wall Street.

Stocks were lower Friday, after an improved but dissappointing reading of the Consumer Sentiment Index failed to pull the major indexes completely out of an early funk and commodities prices eased. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 28 at 8799, closing slightly higher than where it started Monday and above its 2009 starting point. The Nasdaq gave up 3 at 1858, and the S&P 500 gained 1 at 946. 

In economic news, the Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 69.0 in June -- its highest point in the last nine months, but short of economists' projections. The market had been looking for more of an improvement in consumer mood, particularly after recent data suggesting retail sales were making a comeback and the housing sector is nearing a bottom.

In finance, several firms will kick off the process of repaying loans taken out as part of the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program as soon as next Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources. The banks are said to include JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Morgan Stanley (MS) and American Express (AXP).

In Washington, the Federal Reserve is likely to slow its purchase of bonds in the near-term, as some Fed officials have grown uneasy about the potential inflationary affects of continuing to expand the bank's portfolio.

World markets were mixed. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei picked up 1.6%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 0.5%. In Europe, the U.K.'s FTSE dipped 0.5%.

On the Nymex, oil prices took a step back after a long rally. Crude traded down 55 cents at $72.13 a barrel.