Stocks sag at the close Friday; January finishes on weak note

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market sagged at the close Friday as investors weigh a slowdown in the U.S. economy and corporate earnings.<br /> <br /> January was a rough month for markets. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3 percent, its worse monthly performance in a year.<br /> <br /> On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average slumped 252 points, or 1.5 percent, to close at 17,164. The S&P 500 dipped 26 points, or 1.3 percent, to 1,994. The Nasdaq eased 48 points, or 1 percent, to 4,635.<br /> <br /> The economy grew at a slower pace than expected in the last quarter of 2014, the government said Friday. Weaker government and business spending held growth back.<br /> <br /> The news sent prices for U.S. government bonds up, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to 1.66 percent.