Stocks Opened Mixed ahead of G-20 Finance Meeting

U.S. stocks opened mixed on Friday as investors awaited a meeting of finance and economic ministers of the Group of 20 industrial countries. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately gained 12.39 points, or 0.06%, to 20,946.94. The S&P 500 added 0.93 point, or 0.04%, to 2,382.31. The Nasdaq Composite was down 1.28 points, or 0.02% to 5,899.48.

Finance ministers from industrialized and emerging-market economies are gathering in Baden-Baden for a G-20 meeting, the first for new U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The U.S. finance chief is expected put pressure on other countries to boost the value of their currencies, given Trump’s push for a weaker dollar, while the Trump administration’s protectionist policies are also a focus.

Output at U.S. manufacturers rose in February for a sixth consecutive month, underscoring a sustained rebound in the industry. The 0.5 percent gain at factories, which make up 75 percent of overall industrial output, matched the prior month’s advance, marking the best back-to-back performance in three years, a Federal Reserve report showed Friday.

Oil futures rose on Friday, on track to wrap up a week of gains with the latest industry rig-count report. April West Texas Intermediate crude rose 20 cents, or 0.4%, to $48.96 a barrel. May Brent crude rose 17 cents, or 0.3%, to $51.91 a barrel.