Wall Street rose at the open on Thursday after data showed the number of people filing for jobless benefits fell last week, as stocks eyed their best yearly gains since 2003.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 3.40 points, or 0.03 percent, at 10,551.91. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 0.77 points, or 0.07 percent, at 1,127.19. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 0.74 points, or 0.03 percent, at 2,292.02.

(Reporting by Edward Krudy; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)