US stocks little changed, jobless claims rise

The stock market is opening little changed as investors absorb news about the jobs market and corporate deals. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 14 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 16,595 as of 9:44 am Eastern time Thursday. The index closed at an all-time high the day before. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose one point, or 0.1 per cent, to 1,885 and the Nasdaq gained seven points, or 0.2 per cent, to 4,121. The government reported Thursday that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since February. Dish Network climbed $2.02, or 3.6 per cent, to $58.88 after the Wall Street Journal reported that AT&T had approached the satellite TV company about a possible acquisition, according to a news agency.