U.S. stocks opened near unchanged on Friday, with the euro zone debt crisis keeping investors cautious after Ireland's credit rating was slashed.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 10.82 points, or 0.09 percent, at 11,488.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dipped 0.58 points, or 0.05 percent, at 1,242.29. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 6.11 points, or 0.23 percent, at 2,643.42.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)