Stocks swing between gains and losses, energy companies rise

The Associated Press

Stocks were swinging between slight gains and losses on Friday, closing out what has been one of the worst weeks for financial markets in months. Merck jumped 9% after the drugmaker released a study that showed its experimental pill to treat COVID-19 cut hospitalizations and deaths by half in people who were recently infected with the virus. Oil prices are up nearly 2% this week, approaching a seven-year high, while natural gas prices are up nearly 10%. The S&P 500 index was up 0.3%.