YAHOO[BRIEFING.COM]: The major indices traded sideways in choppy action for the entire session. Share volume was light as traders turned apathetic ahead of the long weekend.

Without any official governmental data and a dearth of corporate headlines, market participants found little reason to jump in or out of stocks. That meant for a quiet session.

Though the mood was subdued and stocks finished the session flat, many view the session positively since stocks held steady in the wake of the prior session's rally. That rally was spurred by word the Obama administration has a plan to help stem foreclosures; Dow Jones announced today that the plan will be unveiled Wednesday.

Still, it is recognized that the plan won't provide an immediate cure for the broader financial system. That put financial stocks back under pressure. The sector finished the session 4.2% lower, and 10.2% lower for the week. Banks remain some of the weakest performing industries in the sector.

Every major sector in the S&P 500 closed the session lower. They were all down for the week, too.

Earnings announcements were light this morning and had little impact on the overall market. PepsiCo's (PEP 52.52, +0.52) posted in-line earnings, while Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF 22.78, +2.08) topped the consensus estimates.

Investors also remain largely unimpressed by the revised $787 billion economic stimulus plan, which was approved the House of Representatives today. It now goes to the Senate for vote.

Trading volume was below recent averages, totaling just 1.2 billion shares on the NYSE. Volume actually picked up in the final minutes of trading, which coincided with a late selling effort that took stocks close to their session lows. Still, the overall lack of trading volume suggests many traders were sitting on the sidelines and will be analyzing market sentiment over the long weekend -- U.S. markets are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day.

Despite a lack of conviction in the broader market, crude oil futures garnered considerable interest. Crude was able to break its losing streak by surging more than 10% to $37.45 per barrel. Losses earlier in the week left crude prices 5.6% lower for the week, though.DJ30 -82.35 NASDAQ -7.35 NQ100 -0.5% R2K -0.5% SP400 -0.8% SP500 -8.35 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 1254/2.01 bln/1411 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 1160/1.24 bln/1854