Stocks opened lower on Thursday as worries about higher inflation and signs of job market weakness kept investors cautious.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 58.73 points, or 0.48 percent, at 12,212.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 7.80 points, or 0.59 percent, at 1,306.61. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 19.74 points, or 0.71 percent, at 2,741.78.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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