<p>Stocks opened lower on Thursday in the wake of data showing weekly initial jobless claims were more than expected.<br /><br />The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, reversing a sharp decline in the prior week.<br /><br />China's GDP growth slowed to 7.4 percent in the third quarter, missing the government's target but analysts are optimistic the economy will pick up in the fourth quarter.</p>
