Stocks Edge Higher at Opening Bell as Investors Eye Amazon Expansion, Small Business Data

U.S. stocks opened higher Friday, with major indexes buoyed by a combination of corporate expansion news and a steadier outlook for small businesses, even as oil prices slipped.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 71.54 points, or 0.16%, to 46,214.0. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 88.82 points, or 0.40%, to 22,559.5, while the S&P 500 added 15.92 points, or 0.24%, to 6,647.88. In contrast, the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks was essentially flat, down 0.02 points at 244.82.

In commodities, gold futures gained 0.21% to $3,686.10, extending their safe-haven appeal, while crude oil slipped 0.79% to $62.76, continuing recent pressure from softer demand expectations.

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Markets opened against the backdrop of Amazon’s expansion into groceries. The company announced a new partnership with Winn-Dixie in two Florida markets, allowing customers to order the regional grocer’s products directly through Amazon.com. Wedbush analysts Scott Devitt, Daniel Ives, Matthew Weiss, and Chase Tohanczyn said in a note that “Amazon’s recent expansion of same-delivery perishable grocery delivery more directly challenges Instacart’s position. We view today’s announcement as an incremental step forward in Amazon’s broader strategy to capture share in the category.”

The move is seen as another front in Amazon’s long-running push to expand its food and delivery ecosystem, heightening competitive pressures on Instacart and traditional grocers. Shares of delivery and retail names are likely to draw investor scrutiny as the sector recalibrates to Amazon’s scale.

Meanwhile, new data from the Bank of America Institute suggested small businesses are holding up better than expected. Profitability grew 0.5% year-over-year in August and optimism among owners ticked higher, thanks in part to lower borrowing costs and firmer sales outlooks.

However, tariff burdens remain elevated, and hiring trends are mixed: retail and services have slowed, while construction and manufacturing hiring payments surged more than 30% above 2024 levels.

The resilience in small business finances provides a counterweight to concerns about cooling consumer demand, with spending on technology still rising even as travel budgets tighten.

As trading unfolds, investors will weigh Amazon’s corporate maneuvering, small business sentiment, and the path of energy prices. With President Donald Trump’s administration pressing on trade policy and tariffs still biting into margins, policy risks remain a watchpoint for markets heading into the fall.