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While sales were up, overall demand continued to be lower than automakers had expected it to be at this point in the economic recovery.

Consumer sentiment improved a bit in late September but remained weak as a mixed bag of economic reports added up to a picture of sluggish growth.

The US economy grew at an annualised rate of 1.7% between April and June, figures show, up from a previous estimate of 1.6%.

Traders were encouraged that orders for manufactured goods excluding the volatile transportation sector rose sharply last month.

Sales of U.S. homes rose 7.6% in August -- recovering from their steep descent in July, when the end of a popular government stimulus program drove sales to their lowest levels in more than a decade.

Claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, dropping to a two-month low, according a government report on Thursday that hinted at some stability in the labor market.

Plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Quran have been called off, the pastor said Friday, apparently seeking to end confusion over what he intends to do.

New claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to their lowest level in two months, a hopeful sign for the troubled labor market.

Export growth is propelled by higher prices for many products, including wheat, whose prices have skyrocketed as drought and heat struck Russia.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index shows a modest 1% gain over May figures, with prices in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco increasing.