Stocks rose at the open on Friday, boosted by encouraging data out of China and as a two-year high in the S&P 500 had investors betting on a year-end rally.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 23.31 points, or 0.21 percent, at 11,393.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 3.04 points, or 0.25 percent, at 1,236.04. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 6.67 points, or 0.25 percent, at 2,623.34.

(Reporting by Angela Moon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)