U.S. stocks open mixed amid data, earnings

U.S. stocks opened mixed Thursday, as Wall Street digested jobs data and quarterly earnings.

In the week ending April 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 247,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 253,000, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday.

This is the lowest level for initial claims since Nov. 24, 1973, when it was 233,000.

The 4-week moving average was 260,500, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 265,000.

In corporate news, shares of General Motors jumped nearly 3 percent in early trading Thursday after the company posted better-than-expected quarterly results.

The U.S. auto giant announced first quarter 2016 net income to common stockholders of 2.0 billion U.S. dollars or 1.24 dollars per diluted share, compared to 0.9 billion dollars or 0.56 dollars per diluted share a year ago.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 20.34 points, or 0.11 percent, to 18,075.93. The S&P 500 lost 1.44 points, or 0.07 percent, to 2,100.96. The Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 2.79 points, or 0.06 percent, to 4,950.92.

On Wednesday, U.S. stocks ended higher as Wall Street digested a slew of quarterly earnings reports from big companies amid rising oil prices. Endi