Stocks trimmed gains on Friday and the Dow industrials <.DJI> turned negative, as traders positioned themselves for the settling of futures and options contracts.

Supporting the Nasdaq were shares of Microsoft , which rose 2.4 percent to $24.06 after positive comments from Goldman Sachs.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 14.58 points, or 0.17 percent, to 8,541.02. But the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 1.06 points, or 0.12 percent, to 919.43. And the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 16.55 points, or 0.92 percent, to 1,824.27.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jan Paschal)

Goldman sachs Microsoft