NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks finished mixed Friday, with the Nasdaq and S&P rising on generally strong earnings, but Caterpillar issuing a warning on the economy and dragging the Dow industrials from record levels.

The 30-stock Dow (down 9.36 to 12,002.37, Charts) ended down about 0.1 percent, according to early tallies, although it still finished above the 12,000 mark for the second day in a row.

Thursday, the Dow closed above 12,000 for the first time ever, hitting a record high for the ninth time in the previous 12 sessions.

The broader S&P 500 (up 1.64 to 1,368.60, Charts) and the tech-laden Nasdaq (up 1.36 to 2,342.30, Charts) both ended about 0.1 percent higher.

Oil prices tumbled below $57, hitting their lowest level in more than 10 months. The dollar gained and bonds were little changed.

In addition to more corporate earnings, traders will look forward to a number of economic indicators next week as concerns over growth and inflation mount.

Wednesday brings a reading on existing home sales, Thursday's schedule has reports on durable orders and new home sales, and Friday there's the first look at third quarter gross domestic product.

One analyst said investors will pay particular attention to the durable goods report.

The projected low gain "speaks to the fact that the economy is softening and the problems in 2007," said Joe Battipaglia, chief investment officer at the N.J.-based brokerage Ryan Beck & Co.

Ford (Charts), DuPont (Charts), Amazon (Charts), Boeing (Charts), General Motors (Charts), ExxonMobil (Charts) and Microsoft (Charts) all have earnings reports scheduled.

Caterpillar (down $10.02 to $59.00, Charts) shares tumbled 12 percent Friday, putting serious drag on the Dow, after profits at the heavy equipment maker rose but fell short of estimates.

The company, often viewed as a barometer for the broader economy, also warned of slower economic growth ahead.

"When a company starts talking like that it really brings the issue front and center," Battipaglia said. "The overall health [of the economy] is good, but it's deteriorating."

Other analysts also fretted over the economy.

"The entire global economy is slowing, that's a problem," said John Lekas, president of Leader Capital Management. "That's the pause in the market you are seeing."

Earlier in the week, a report showing tame inflation combined with fairly strong corporate earnings and eased investors fears, which in turn helped the Dow reach record highs most days.

Caterpillar was largely responsible for the loss of momentum Friday.

The big drop in Caterpillar's share price accounted for all of the Dow's loss and then some - the benchmark index would have risen 30 points without the drag.

Not even Internet gorilla Google could stem the slide.

Google (up $33.61 to $459.67, Charts) soundly beat analyst estimates late Thursday as profits nearly doubled and the stock stock surged nearly 8 percent early Friday. Several brokerages raised their price targets above $500 Friday morning.

Other earnings reports were mostly positive.

Conglomerate 3M (up $2.07 to $78.47, Charts) posted improved results that beat forecasts and its shares rose nearly 3 percent.

Profits fell at Merck & Co. (up $1.15 to $45.64, Charts) but the fall was attributed to the company setting aside an additional $598 million to fight lawsuits over its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx and shares rose over 2 percent.

Oil slid after OPEC announced a 1.2 million barrel a day cut in production that analysts said it will have a hard time enforcing.

U.S. light crude fell $1.68 to settle at $56.82 a barrel on the U.S. Mercantile Exchange, its lowest closing price this year.

Stocks in Asia closed mostly higher, while most gauges in Europe also rose.

Treasury prices were little changed, leaving the the yield on the 10-year note near 4.78 percent.

The dollar gained against the euro and the yen.

Market breadth was negative. On the New York Stock Exchange, losers beat winners nine to seven on volume of 1.6 billion shares. On the Nasdaq market decliners topped advancers three to two as 1.9 billion shares changed hands.

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