Stocks opened higher on Friday after a string of declines, with equities on track for their strongest quarter in more than two years.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 29.51 points, or 0.22 percent, at 13,175.33. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 3.83 points, or 0.27 percent, at 1,407.11. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 15.62 points, or 0.50 percent, at 3,110.98.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)