US stock market opens mixed

By Ovunc Kutlu

NEW YORK (AA) - The stock market opened mixed Friday as oil prices edged higher but macroeconomic data came lower than expectations.

The Dow added 25 points to begin trading at 21,028. The S&P, however, lost a point to open at 2,381.

The Nasdaq rose less than a point to start the day flat at 5,862.

At the first bell, crude prices were up around 0.5 percent as value of the U.S. dollar against major currencies slipped slightly Friday.

Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for February, however, came 53.8, slightly lower than 53.9 expectation, according to global financial information and services company Markit.

The market and investors will closely watch the speech of Federal Reserve Chair's Janet Yellen later on Friday.

Yellen's statements could hint a rate hike by the Fed at its upcoming meeting on March 15.