NEW YORK , Aug 9: A strong sales report from McDonald’s Corp. fast-food restaurants boosted US blue-chip stocks on Friday, but the tech-heavy Nasdaq suffered its sixth straight losing session after a warning about gross profit margins from chip designer Nvidia Corp.

Treasuries were mixed, with many issues down slightly as dealers sold some of the government paper accumulated in this week’s $60 billion Treasury refunding.

The dollar rose against major currencies, while gold rallied as traders acted on computer buy signals. Oil prices slipped back from their highest levels since the March invasion of Iraq.

Stock investors were in a buying mood after watching the recently battered bond market weather this week’s Treasury refunding. Wall Street had worried that rising Treasury yields could hurt economic growth and corporate profits by lifting interest rates on mortgages and loans.

Economic data this week showing a rise in productivity and a drop in weekly jobless claims also helped.

“Overall sentiment is positive,” said Tim Heekin, director of trading at Thomas Weisel Partners. “People were concerned last week about the bond market action, but overall, they’re getting comfortable with the bond market sell-off as it indicates the economy is starting to recover.”

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 64.64 points, or 0.71 per cent, to close at 9,191.09. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 3.47 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 977.59, based on the latest available figures.

But the technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index ended off 8.15 points, or 0.49 per cent, at 1,644.03, the day after graphics chip designer Nvidia Corp. said gross margins could decline in the third quarter.—Reuters