Stocks opened little changed on Thursday as investors turned cautious after a mixed jobless report and ahead of a report on regional manufacturing activity.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 3.17 points, or 0.04 percent, to 8,494.01. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 0.03 points, or 0.00 percent, to 910.74. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 7.69 points, or 0.43 percent, to 1,800.37.