U.S. stocks closed higher Friday due to some better-than-expected earnings reports. In U.S. economic news, the trade deficit shrank in December to $38.5 billion, down from $48.6 billion the previous month, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 48.92, or 0.35 percent, to 13,992.97. The broader Standard & Poor\'s 500 index rose 8.54, or 0.57 percent, to 1,517.93. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index increased 28.74, or 0.91 percent, to 3,193.87.