Stocks edged higher at the open on Thursday as jobless claims hovered near multi-year lows, though investors showed caution after healthy gains so far this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> added 13.09 points, or 0.10 percent, at 12,965.16. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 2.33 points, or 0.17 percent, at 1,368.01. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 12.02 points, or 0.41 percent, at 2,978.91.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)