12:24 PM EDT, 05/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes rose in midday trading Friday even after a consumer sentiment gauge slumped and inflation expectations surged.

The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.2% to 19,142.1, the S&P 500 rose 0.2% to 5,929.2, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.2% to 42,412.3. Health care and utilities led the gainers, and technology and energy posted the only declines.

In economic news, the University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index fell to 50.8 in May from 52.2 in April, compared with expectations for an increase to 53.5 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. According to a report from Trading Economics, the reading marks the fifth consecutive monthly decline, the lowest since June 2022 and the second-weakest on record.

Respondents pegged one-year inflation expectations at 7.3%, up from 6.5% in April, while five-year inflation expectations rose to 4.6% from 4.4%.

The survey period closed on May 13, two days after the pause on tariffs on Chinese imports.

Most US Treasury yields fell with the 10-year down 2.1 basis points to 4.43%.

Gold futures dropped 1.5% to $3,205.13 per ounce.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose 0.4% to $61.89 a barrel.