BIG FINISH: The stock market enjoyed some Black Friday cheer, rising sharply to give major stock indexes one of their best weeks of the year. Traders were encouraged by positive economic news from Germany and China, two engines of global growth.

RETAIL CHEER: Early reports from retailers suggested that consumers may be ready to spend — a sign of the economy's progress.

TECH FUEL: Technology stocks soared, lifting the Nasdaq composite index by more than 1 percent. Computer maker Dell, chipmaker AMD and computing giant Hewlett-Packard were the top three gainers in the S&P 500.