IANS

New York, Jul 25: Most US stocks rose Friday, completing one of Wall Street's best two-week stretches of the year on the back of gains by energy companies and hopes for an economic recovery.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told a congressional committee that the central bank was "winding down" its unprecedented lending programmes enacted to help stabilise the financial system.

Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips gained after crude oil climbed 1.3 percent to $68.05 per barrel Friday in New York. But technology stocks fell on poor earnings late Thursday from Microsoft.

The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 23.95 points, or 0.26 percent, to 9,093.24. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 2.97 points, or 0.3 percent, to 979.26. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index fell 7.64 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1,965.96.

All three indices were up more than four percent for the week and have each risen more than 11 percent over the last two weeks.

The US currency fell against the euro to 70.37 euro cents from 70.72 euro cents Thursday. The dollar dropped against the Japanese currency to 94.76 yen from 95.02 yen.