Stocks Opened Slightly Higher, Oil Ticked Higher

U.S. stocks opened Slightly higher on Friday, after steep losses a day earlier on fears of a global trade war after the United States slapped tariffs on Chinese imports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately rose 38.09 points, or 0.16%, to 23,995.98. The S&P 500 advanced 1.82 points, or 0.07% at 2,645.51. The Nasdaq Composite was down 16.74 points, or 0.23%, to 7,149.94.

Oil prices ticked higher Friday, renewed by signs that OPEC could maintain production curbs into 2019. May West Texas Intermediate crude rose 29 cents, or 0.5%, to $64.66 a barrel. May Brent crude rose 26 cents, or 0.4%, to $69.17 a barrel.

China announced plans for reciprocal tariffs on $3 billion of imports from the U.S., including products from steel to pork, after President Donald Trump’s move to order levies on a range of Chinese goods sent markets plunging.

Target TGT and Kroger KR are in merger talks, according to a report from Fast Company citing several people with knowledge of the matter. The report said the two companies first started discussing a partnership last summer, but decided to “a merger is the best path forward.”