YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]: The S&P 500 stayed near the neutral line almost all session as participants shrugged off the latest round of earnings reports and in-line GDP data. The dollar also failed to provide participants with direction as it traded flat ahead of a busy week. In all, it made for a quiet finish for October.

Another big batch of earnings was out ahead of the open. As has been the case this earnings season most firms posted upside surprises, but failed to provide impressive revenue results. That led to a rather mixed reaction among market participants.

Among the more widely held names, Dow components Microsoft (MSFT 26.67, +0.39) and Merck (MRK 36.31, -0.63) both beat on the bottom line, but while MSFT provided support to tech issues, MRK dragged down the health care sector. Their respective sectors finished with losses of 0.1% and 0.5%.

Fellow Dow component Chevron (CVX 82.60, -1.84) was one of the few names that failed to exceed the consensus estimate. Its shares fell to a three-week low.

The advance reading on third quarter GDP indicated that the economy expanded at an annualized rate of 2.0% from July through September, as expected. Even though that was a faster clip than the 1.7% increase of the second quarter, it was still less than what economists estimate is needed for employment gains.

Without any surprises in the GDP data, the dollar gave back a narrow overnight gain that came as yields increased on sovereign debt of higher-risk European countries. It finished 0.2% lower against competing currencies. Part of the dollar's narrow trading range was the result of uncertainty ahead of the FOMC policy statement and the latest monthly jobs report, both of which will be released next week.

With participants disinclined to take positions ahead of next week's announcements stocks traded without much leadership. That left all three averages to finish at the flat line after chopping along in a narrow range for almost all of the session. The lackluster close was consistent with the action seen earlier this week. As such, the S&P 500 finished the weak less than 0.02% higher.

For the month, though, stocks advanced 3.4%. That made for the fourth October advance in the past five years.

The move higher in commodities was once again led by precious metals, which surged 2% to close out the week. Dec silver gained 3% to finish at $24.56 per ounce while Dec gold ended up 1% to $1357.60 per ounce. Today's rallies mark a second consecutive session of gains for the precious metals.

Dec natural gas also rallied for a second consecutive session, gaining 4% to settle at $4.03 per MMBtu. Yesterday's smaller-than-expected inventory data, coupled with forecasts for colder-than-usual temperatures, helped natural gas trade to its best levels in 5 weeks. Dec crude oil shed 0.9% to finish at $81.43 per barrel.

Advancing Sectors: Materials (+0.9%), Consumers (+0.2%), Utilities (+0.2%), Industrials (+0.1%), Telecom (+0.1%)
Declining Sectors: Health Care (-0.5%), Financials (-0.2%), Consumer Discretionary (-0.1%), Tech (-0.1%), Energy (-0.1%)DJ30 +4.54 NASDAQ +0.04 NQ100 -0.3% R2K +0.3% SP400 +0.3% SP500 -0.52 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 1447/2.09 bln/1164 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 1744/1.03 bln/1175