US benchmark equity indexes ended higher Friday amid expectations that a looming government shutdown would be avoided.

* "The market appears optimistic the US government can avoid a shutdown (Friday night) after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer reportedly dropped his objection yesterday to the latest spending bill proposal," Stifel said in a note.

* US consumer sentiment plunged to 57.9 in March from 64.7 last month, preliminary results from a survey by the University of Michigan showed. A Bloomberg-compiled consensus had indicated a 63 print.

* April West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed up $0.63 to settle at $67.18 per barrel, while May Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.68 to $70.56 as Russia appeared to reject a US-backed ceasefire in Ukraine, reducing the chance for the lifting of sanctions on Moscow and the full return of the country's oil to international markets.

* Ulta Beauty (ULTA) was up over 13%. Although the beauty retailer's full-year guidance missed Wall Street's estimates late Thursday, it showed potential for positive earnings revisions in the coming quarters, UBS said.

* Abbott Laboratories (ABT) shares were down 2.2% after a state appeals judge in Missouri ordered a retrial in a civil lawsuit related to its formula milk.