U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Friday as traders reviewed the latest comments from Federal Reserve officials for clues about the future path of interest rates and inflation.

Market sentiment remained cautious, with investors looking for confirmation that price pressures are easing without forcing policymakers to keep borrowing costs elevated for longer than expected. Even small shifts in the Fed outlook can move equities, Treasury yields, and the dollar.

The modest gains suggested that traders were still willing to add risk, but only selectively, as they balanced hopes for a softer policy stance against lingering uncertainty about the economy. Tech shares and other rate-sensitive areas often react quickly to changes in expectations for monetary policy.

With the next economic data releases still ahead, markets are likely to stay focused on inflation trends, labor conditions, and any further remarks from central bank officials that could reshape bets on when the Fed may begin cutting rates.