12:09 PM EST, 02/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes rose in midday trading Friday after the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure matched market expectations.

The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.5% to 18,635.1, with the S&P 500 up 0.5% to 5,887.5 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.5% higher at 43,469.8. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 briefly traded lower at the start of trading on Friday. Consumer discretionary and industrials led the gainers, while healthcare was the sole decliner intraday.

US Treasury yields fell intraday, with the 2-year down 3.6 basis points to 4.04% and the 10-year traded 3.7 basis points lower at 4.25%.

In economic news, the personal consumption expenditures price index rose by 0.3% month-over-month, as forecast, slowing the year-over-year rate to 2.5% from 2.6%. The index matched the 0.3% growth in December, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Friday. The core PCE price index increased by 0.3%, matching expectations, following a 0.2% gain in December. The year-over-year rate slowed to 2.6% from 2.9% in the previous month.

In company news, AES (AES) shares soared 14% intraday, the top performer on the S&P 500, after the company reported Friday higher-than-expected Q4 adjusted earnings and its full-year 2025 guidance beat the average analyst earnings estimate compiled by FactSet.

The worst performer on the index was NetApp ( NTAP ) , with shares sinking 16% intraday following its quarterly results overnight. The company "unexpectedly stumbled" in fiscal Q3 with revenue at the low end of guidance, and Q4 rebound expectations "muted," Wedbush Securities said Friday in a review of NetApp's ( NTAP ) earnings.

Monster Beverage ( MNST ) jumped 5.8% after the energy drink company reported better-than-expected Q4 sales late Thursday.

Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures dropped 1.4% to $69.36 a barrel.