U.S. stock opened higher on Friday as employment notched a second straight month of solid gains while the unemployment rate fell to a two-year low.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 51.85 points, or 0.42 percent, to 12,371.58. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 7.80 points, or 0.59 percent, to 1,333.63. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 13.30 points, or 0.48 percent, to 2,794.37.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)