U.S. stocks were little changed after the open on Thursday after new U.S. claims for jobless benefits fell less then expected last week.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 1.66 points, or 0.01 percent, at 12,348.95. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 0.92 point, or 0.07 percent, at 1,327.34. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 2.26 points, or 0.08 percent, at 2,774.53.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)