U.S. stocks edged higher at the open on Friday, a day after the S&P hit a 17-month closing high and as retail sales rose unexpectedly in February.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 28.50 points, or 0.27 percent, to 10,640.34. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 2.63 points, or 0.23 percent, to 1,152.87. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 3.75 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,372.21.

* Sales at U.S. retailers were up 0.3 percent, the government said, compared with expectations for a fall of 0.2 percent.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Retail sales S&P Retail