The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 rose on Friday as positive broker comments on Microsoft boosted technology shares, but the major averages lost ground weekly for the first time in five weeks.

On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 15.87 points, or 0.19 percent, to close unofficially at 8,539.73. But the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 2.86 points, or 0.31 percent, to end unofficially at 921.23. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 19.75 points, or 1.09 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,827.47.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jan Paschal)

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