U.S. Stocks Open Slightly Higher, But On Track For Down Week As Volatility Returns

U.S. stocks edged up in early trading on Friday, as investors enjoyed a rare respite from dramatic news coming out of Washington, although major indexes were set for their second straight weekly decline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 31 points, or 0.2%, to 20,691. The S&P 500 added 3.8 points to 2,370, a rise of 0.2%. The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 19 points, or 0.3%, to 6,075. For the week, all three indexes are set for a decline of about 1%. Much of the weakness came in Wednesday's massive selloff, when concerns spiked over whether President Donald Trump could get his economic agenda passed, something analysts say is necessary to justify market valuations. Among the major movers, Deere & Co. surged 6.3% after it reported earnings and sales that beat expectations. Dynegy Inc. spiked 26% on reports it had received a buyout offer from Vistra Energy .