 It's Money News, 10 and 40 past the hour, and Dan Roenick. Stocks closed down on Friday, but for the first six months of the year, they're roaring, especially on the S&P and the NASDAQ. The S&P is up 14% for the year, the NASDAQ 18.5%. An important economic measure that the Federal Reserve watches very closely. In May, it slowed to its lowest level in more than three years.