Open: The main stock index was essentially flat

Jobless claims last week after the report was released on Thursday (6) U.S. stocks opened mixed, with major indexes fluctuate slightly in the unchanged level.

Initial jobless claims last week increased to 40.9 million, but below market expectations of 41.2 million. Average number of weeks since the July 2008 record low since.

Miller Tabak analyst Peter Boockvar Securities said: "The holidays and weather data may have an impact over the past few weeks, but the dismissal of the trend is still very apparent."

ADP released Wednesday by the private sector, better than expected employment report, analysts raised their payrolls last month's forecast.

Target (TGT) and Macys (M) reported December same-store sales below Wall Street expectations.

Discount retailer Costco (COST) 12 same-store sales growth of 6%, home improvement retailer Pier 1 Imports (PIR) same-store sales last month increased 10.3%.

On the earnings front, agricultural supplier Monsanto (MON) first-quarter profitability.

American Depositary shares of British Petroleum (BP) have risen. According to reports, the U.S. presidential commission concluded that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is British Petroleum, Halliburton (HAL) and Transocean (RIG) and others the result of mismanagement.