Stocks opened higher on Thursday, helped by data on weekly jobless claims and same-store sales from retailers.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 43.00 points, or 0.42 percent, at 10,292.54. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 3.69 points, or 0.34 percent, at 1,102.07. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 8.31 points, or 0.36 percent, at 2,289.38.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Retail