U.S. stocks opened little changed on Thursday as an uptick in jobless claims failed to derail sentiment following much stronger-than-expected gain in private-sector jobs.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 2.15 points, or 0.02 percent, at 11,720.74. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.GSPC> dipped 0.04 percent at 1,276.06. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 0.61 points, or 0.02 percent, at 2,701.59.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)