Stocks pared sharp losses and moved higher on Friday as President Obama called for compromise on debt ceiling talks in Washington and Republicans planned to revise a bill to raise the nation's debt limit.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 14.19 points, or 0.12 percent, to 12,225.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 1.26 points, or 0.10 percent, to 1,301.93. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 10.64 points, or 0.38 percent, to 2,776.89.

(Editing by James Dalgleish)