According to the reports of Xinhua, US stocks fluctuated in a narrow range and ended slightly higher Friday as mixed economic data offered little help to investors who were eager to figure out the direction of the recovery.

Inching up by 4.23, or 0.04 percent, the Dow Jones ended on10,325.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 1.56, or 0.14 percent, to 1, 104.49 and the Nasdaq was up 4.04, or 0.18 percent, to 2,238.26.

With both the Dow and S&P up more than 2.5 percent and the Nasdaq gaining 4.2 percent in February as investors tried to seek more signs of recovery, major averaged retreated for the week but still erased much of the January losses.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Purchasing Managers Index rose to 62.6 in February from 61.5 in January, reassuring the recovery in manufacturing sector was well on track.

However, a report from the National Association of Realtors showed sales of previously owned homes in the US unexpectedly plunged in January, showing the housing market was still struggling to recovery. (With Input From Agencies)