NEW YORK—Stocks are opening nearly flat on Wall Street Thursday. New data from the Labor Department showed more Americans applied for jobless benefits last week as the number of unemployed continues to rise modestly. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average are down about 0.1 percent while the Nasdaq is barely higher. EBay and Hostess shares are sinking after reporting their quarterly results. Investors expect more insight on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate plans on Friday, when the Labor Department delivers its July jobs report.
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