us stocks opened higher thursday with the technologyheavy nasdaq composite extending its sharp rise in the wake of the federal reserve slowing its pace of interest rate hikes the dow jones industrial average djia edged up 01 soon after the opening bell while the sp 500 spx rose 1 and the nasdaq composite comp gained 2 according to factset data at last check the us central bank announced wednesday that it was raising its benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point downshifting from a rate hike of a halfpoint percentage point in december as it continues tightening monetary policy to bring down high inflation fed chair jerome powell said during his press conference wednesday that the disinflationary process is underway