Stocks finished lower Friday, despite a last-ditch attempt to rally, as technology shares took yet another hit — this time it was weak earnings from PC maker Dell. Still , for the week, the Dow gained about 50 points.

Gold prices, which have already soared to record levels in recent weeks, could get a further boost from a new investor: central banks.

Stocks declined Friday as technology shares took yet another hit — this time it was weak earnings from PC maker Dell. Merck was among the few gainers today as investors moved into classically safe bets like health care, consumer staples and utilities.

Stocks opened lower Friday as technology shares took yet another hit — this time it was weak earnings from PC maker Dell.

Stocks are being held hostage by the dollar and the S&P 500 is in a "struggling trend" that could push the index lower or lead to "horizontal" gains, Bill McLaren, independent trader, told CNBC.

Stock index futures were slightly lower ahead of trading Friday, with technology shares pressured by a weak earnings report from PC maker Dell.

Stocks tumbled Thursday after an analyst downgrade on the chip sector and gains in the dollar. Intel, Alcoa and GE were the Dow's biggest losers.

The Dow dropped over 100 points Thursday, led by Intel, after an analyst downgrade on the chip sector. A stronger dollar also weighed on the market.

Stocks fell sharply Thursday as a jobless-claims report did little to assuage economic worries and investors pushed the dollar higher.

BofA Merrill Lynch lowered its 2010 growth forecast for global semiconductor industry and downgraded ten chipmakers, including Intel, turning more cautious on the group on expectations of a modest overshoot in global supply chain inventories.

Risky assets have risen too much, too soon and too fast, but investors won't get an obvious sign that a correction is starting and will have to gauge fundamentals, Yogi Dewan, founder of Hassium Asset Management, said Thursday.

Stocks were set to extend the previous session's losses at the opening bell Thursday, with European stocks dragging on sentiment as miners and food producers struggled.

Global stocks were mostly lower Thursday as concerns about the pace of the recovery reared its head. Experts told CNBC they expect dollar weakness for some time to come and suggest staying out of cash.

Brazil took another step on Wednesday aimed at containing the appreciation of its currency, unveiling a 1.5 percent tax on certain trades involving American Depositary Receipts issued by Brazilian companies.

The number of U.S.-dollar millionaires in China is expected to nearly double in five years, luring private bankers eager to help them invest an expected combined wealth over $7.6 trillion by 2013, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said on Thursday.