Wall Street traded higher Friday on stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data.

U.S. consumer spending rose by 0.6 percent in February, the best showing since December, while personal incomes also advanced 0.6 percent, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

However, core consumer prices, which exclude volatile energy and food costs, were up 0.3 percent in February, the biggest increase since last August. Over the past 12 months, core consumer prices increased by 2.4 percent, higher than the Federal Reserve's comfort zone of 1 to 2 percent.

The Chicago Purchasing Managers index of regional manufacturing activity soared to a reading of 61.7 in March, higher than Wall Street was expecting and up from 47.9 in February.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 36.13 to 12,384.88. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up 2.77 at 1,425.30, while the Nasdaq composite index was up 5.71 to 2,423.59.

Source: Xinhua