A Green Friday

Brands traded higher on Friday. Energy and technology shares such as Exxon Mobil and Cisco Systems led the upswing. Google put on a good show in the wake of favorable earnings released after the closing bell on Thursday. Crude oil tacked on $1.55 to settle at $97.24 a barrel. Meanwhile, consumer confidence is on the wane this month. The University of Michigan’s preliminary index of consumer sentiment slid to 63.8 in July from 71.5 the prior month. The reading was well shy of expectations for a rise to 72.2. Elsewhere, consumer prices declined for the first time in a year. Prices dipped 0.2% in June. The core consumer price index, which discounts food and energy, increased 0.3% for the second consecutive month. 

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