U.S. stocks open lower as investors await consumer sentiment report, Fed officials

U.S. stocks opened lower Friday, as investors await data on consumer sentiment and inflation expectations as well as remarks from Federal Reserve officials. The Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA,
-0.08%
dipped slightly soon after the opening bell before trading about flat, while the S&P 500
SPX,
-0.31%
was down 0.2% and the Nasdaq Composite
COMP,
-0.91%
dropped 0.5%, according to FactSet data, at last check. All three major benchmarks were on track for weekly losses. Later this morning, the University of Michigan will release its report on consumer sentiment and inflation expectations. In the afternoon on Friday, Fed Gov. Christopher Waller and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker are scheduled to speak, with Waller expected at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time and Harker at 4:00 p.m.