U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Thursday, after the European Central Bank cut interest rates to record lows and a flurry of economic data indicated the U.S. economy was steadily improving.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 16.06 points or 0.09 percent, to 17,094.34, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 2.31 points or 0.12 percent, to 2,003.03 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 9.15 points or 0.2 percent, to 4,581.71.