US benchmark equity indexes ended higher Friday as markets analyzed the latest economic data and the International Monetary Fund's upgraded 2025 growth outlook for the world's largest economy.

* The IMF increased its global and US economic growth expectations for this year but said the balance of risks to the overall outlook is tilted to the downside in the medium term.

* Potential growth in demand and shrinking supply would reignite price pressures in the US, though the impact on near-term economic output would be unclear, IMF Economic Counsellor Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said. "Higher inflation would prevent the (Fed) from cutting interest rates and could even require rate hikes that would in turn strengthen the dollar and widen US external deficits."

* US housing starts climbed more than expected last month as multifamily projects logged sharp gains sequentially, government data showed.

* "Homebuilding activity is expected to trend higher in 2025, but elevated uncertainty related to fiscal policy and its impact on the decisions of the Federal Reserve will likely keep activity subdued over the near term," TD Economics said.

* February West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed down $0.64 to settle at $78.04 per barrel, while March Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.47 to $80.82. Geopolitical risks eased after Israel and the Hamas militant group reached a Gaza ceasefire agreement. It's uncertain if the agreement will convince Yemen's Houthi militants to end their attacks on Red Sea shipping.

* Schlumberger (SLB) shares rose 6.1%, after the oilfield services company's Q4 results topped Wall Street's estimates.

* The US Supreme Court upheld a law that would force China-based ByteDance to either sell TikTok by Sunday or face a US ban for the short-video app.