U.S. stocks mixed ahead of long Christmas weekend

U.S. stocks gyrated to a mixed close on Friday as investors headed into the Christmas holiday weekend, having digested cooler-than-expected inflation data which firmed bets for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the new year.   All three indexes turned less decisive in light trading as the afternoon progressed, after an initial rally on data showing inflation is easing closer to the U.S. central bank's target.    The S&P 500 rose Friday after cooler inflation data, with the m...