NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The Nasdaq held steady on positive news out of Google and Lucent Technologies, but the broader market slipped as investors eyed a big jump in durable goods orders ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting.

The Nasdaq composite (up 5.59 to 2,305.74, Charts) was little changed in the early going, protected by strength in Internet and computer networking shares. The Dow Jones industrial average (up 9.84 to 11,280.13, Charts) and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 (down 0.25 to 1,301.42, Charts) index both inched lower.

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Concerns about rising interest rates and oil prices weighed on stocks Thursday, and those concerns remained in place Friday, even amid the positive technology sector news.

Investors are particularly rate-sensitive ahead of next week's Federal Reserve policy meeting, at which the central bank is expected to boost its key short-term interest rate to 4.75 percent from 4.5 percent, its 15th consecutive rate hike since June of 2004.

Because of the rate focus, the morning's robust reading on February durable goods orders was taken as a concern, as it could imply a stronger economy and therefore higher interest rates ahead.

Among stock movers, Google (up $25.67 to $367.56, Research) rallied after it was announced late Thursday that the company will be added to the Standard & Poor's 500 index after the close of trade on March 31.

Google will replace Burlington Resources (up $0.34 to $90.62, Research), which is being bought by ConocoPhillips (up $0.42 to $61.54, Research).

Lucent Technologies (up $0.30 to $3.12, Research) jumped on news that it is in talks with French telecom gear maker Alcatel (up $0.61 to $16.06, Research) to form a combined company with a market cap of nearly $34 billion.

Treasury prices inched higher, lowering the yield on the benchmark 10-year note to 4.72 percent from around 4.73 percent late Thursday. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

U.S. light crude oil for May delivery added 19 cents to $64.10 a barrel in electronic trading.

COMEX gold for April delivery rose $4.40 to $555.20 an ounce.

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