Apple and other big U.S. companies reporting fatter profits than expected are helping stock indexes shave off more of their sharp losses from the start of the week.

Several data points are expected out of Japan later today, including CPI for January and unemployment and retail sales figures for December.

U.S. stock indexes are rallying toward the close of their best week in two months. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% Friday.

U.S. stocks slipped after the Federal Reserve held its main interest rate steady and broke a run of cuts that began in September

U.S. stocks ended lower on Wednesday, but off their lows of the day, with the Federal Reserve holding interest rates steady as expected and Fed Chair Jerome Powell offering soothing comments for investors.