Nasdaq lags on angst over AI spending ahead of earnings reports

STORY: U. S. stocks ended mixed on Friday, with the Dow gaining just under half a percent, the S&P 500 virtually flat and the tech-heavy Nasdaq sliding nearly two-thirds of a percent.

The S&P 500 technology index underperformed the broader market as chip stocks fell, with Intel dropping nearly 8% despite forecasting quarterly profit and revenue above Wall Street estimates.