The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening slightly higher on Wall Street as consumer-focused companies and banks post gains.

Lowe's rose 1.5 percent in early trading Friday after naming three new directors, and Amazon rose 1.2 percent following reports that it would raise the price of monthly Prime memberships.

American Express sank 2.6 percent after the company suspended its share buy-back program for six months.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 6 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,804.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4 points to 26,023. The Nasdaq composite rose 25 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,322.