U.S. stocks open lower amid ECB decision, economic data

U.S. stocks opened lower on Thursday, as investors mainly digested weekly jobless claims and a decision from the European Central Bank (ECB).

The ECB has kept interest rates unchanged and maintained its quantitative easing program, media reported on Thursday.

On the economic front in the United States, in the week ending Sept. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 259,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 263,000, the Labor Department announced Thursday.

The 4-week moving average was 261,250, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 263,000.

Newly-released data, including non-farm payrolls report last week, has been in focus recently, with investors pondering over when the U.S. Federal Reserve will decide to raise interest rates.

The Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed's monetary policy arm, is set to meet on Sept. 20-21.

In corporate news, Apple shares were down 1.54 percent in the early trading Thursday, a day after the company unveiled its iPhone 7 at an event in San Francisco.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 54.79 points, or 0.30 percent, to 18,471.35. The S&P 500 lost 4.95 points, or 0.23 percent, to 2,181.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index decreased 17.18 points, or 0.33 percent, to 5,266.75.

U.S. stocks closed mixed Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite Index refreshing previous day's closing record, as Wall Street digested the Federal Reserve's Beige Book. Endi