Stocks Opened Higher, Eyed Solid Weekly Gains

U.S. stocks opened marginally higher on Friday and the main indexes were on track to post solid weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately added 41.72 points, or 0.24%, to 17,092.47. The S&P 500 gained 6.70 points, or 0.33%, to 2,020.13. The Nasdaq Composite was up 19.03 points, or l0.40%, to 4,829.82.

U.S. import prices barely declined in September, with oil prices rebounding and the drag on prices from a weak global economy appearing to moderate, Labor Department data showed on Friday. Non-oil import prices declined only 0.2 percent in September.

Gold prices climbed on Friday, on the back of a weaker dollar and renewed speculation that a Fed rate rise may be delayed into next year. Gold for December delivery jumped $11.80, or 1.1%, to $1,156.10 an ounce.

Standard Chartered (STAN) is planning to cut up to 1,000 top jobs at the bank in a drive to reduce costs, the emerging-markets focused bank said on Friday.