Stocks finish higher

NEW YORK (AP) -- Better than expected numbers from retailers may have helped Wall Street to keep stocks in the win column yesterday.

Today, they'll be awaiting release of figures on the March trade gap.

The Dow gained 52 points to 12,866. The S&P 500 surged 5 to 1,397. And the Nasdaq composite added 12 points to 2,451.

The rise came despite another record settlement in oil prices.

Crude steady after record high

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Oil prices held steady Friday in Asia after rising to a trading record above $124 a barrel.

Bullish momentum and renewed weakening of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies kept the commodity on its upward trend.

Light, sweet crude for June delivery rose 69 cents to $124.38 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Singapore. The contract rose 16 cents Thursday to settle at a record $123.69. It then pushed to a trading record of $124.61 a barrel in the after-hours electronic trading.

Analysts also struggled to explain the continued rise of oil futures after a larger-than-expected build in crude oil stocks reported Wednesday in the U.S.

Top 3 carriers boost fuel charges

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rapidly rising fuel costs are proving a major challenge to the airlines, and consumers are having to pay more, as result.

The three biggest U.S. carriers say that they have again raised ticket prices, this time by $20 roundtrip, in response.

The increases by American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines affect the carriers' fuel surcharges. They now total $130 roundtrip on many flights. That means passengers on some cheap flights could be paying more in fees and taxes than for the airfare itself.

Delta Air Lines Inc. initiated the increase, which applies to most domestic routes. It is the Atlanta-based carrier's second hike in just over a week. The previous increase was quickly matched by competitors.

Representatives for American Airlines and United say the carriers matched the increase on most routes yesterday.

Google still hopes to strike long-term ad deal with Yahoo

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Google's top executives expressed hope Thursday that the Internet search leader will be able to form a potentially lucrative advertising partnership with Yahoo.

Such a deal would lower the odds of Microsoft Corp. renewing its attempts to buy Yahoo.

Neither side would indicate how far along the two sides are in their negotiations after a two-week test was completed last month. During the trial run, Google supplied a small portion of the text-based ads that appeared alongside the search results on Yahoo's Web site.

Because Google's technology proved it could select more profitable ads, the alliance could help Yahoo snap out of a prolonged slump that made it vulnerable to Microsoft's unsolicited buyout bid.

GM ready to pay millions to end strike

DETROIT (AP) -- General Motors says it has agreed to kick in up to 200 million dollars to help bring an end to a bitter 10-week strike at parts supplier American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings.

The automaker said in a government filing that the money would go for temporary payments to buffer reduced wages for the workers, as well as employee buyout and early retirement packages.

About 3,600 United Auto Workers at five American Axle factories have been on strike since late February in a dispute over the company's quest for lower wages and benefits.

The strike has crippled GM's production of pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles and hurt its bottom line. About 30 GM factories have been either fully or partially closed due to the strike.

Talks were continuing at last report.

Survey says executives see oil prices falling

HOUSTON (AP) -- Consumers or drivers across the U.S. are hoping they are right.

Many oil and gas industry executives say they expect the price to fall significantly by year's end.

A new survey finds fifty-five percent of more than 300 petroleum industry executives surveyed say they think the price of a barrel of crude will drop below $100 by the end of the year. Twenty-one percent of those responding predicted a barrel of oil will end the year between $101 and $110, while 15 percent forecast the year-end price to be between $111 and $120 a barrel.

Nine percent said they expect the price to close the year where it's been this week -- above $120 a barrel.

What's more, 44 percent of the executives said their companies plan to increase capital spending on exploration and production by 10 percent during the next year.

The survey was done by KPMG, the audit, tax and advisory firm.