.S. stocks opened slightly lower on Friday after China's central bank took steps to battle inflation.
The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) dropped 9.46 points, or 0.08 percent, to 11,171.77. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) shed 1.97 points, or 0.16 percent, to 1,194.72. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) lost 3.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,510.41.
