NEW YORK, Dec 17 (Reuters) - 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 was down 10.82 points, or 0.09 percent, at 11,488.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dipped 0.58 points, or 0.05 percent, at 1,242.29. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 6.11 points, or 0.23 percent, at 2,643.42.