US stocks edged up slightly for the week as concerns about increasing COVID-19 cases were weighed against hopes of a new fiscal stimulus deal. Third quarter earnings season also got under way with mixed results. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% and the Dow ticked up 0.1% for the week. Abroad, the FTSE All World Ex US was down 1.0% for the week on heightened lockdown measures in Europe. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell over the week to settle at 0.74%.
New weekly unemployment claims rose to 898,000, the highest level since late August.
Europe tightened lockdown measures to fight rising infection numbers.
US retail sales rose 1.9% in September over August, significantly outpacing expectations. It was the fifth straight month of growth.
US industrial production fell 0.6% in September and output remains 7.1% below where it stood in February.