Wall Street opens lower, Oracle weighs

Oracle shares were down 8.3% to $32.79, the biggest percentage loser on the S&P 500

US stocks opened lower on Thursday as Oracle Corp tumbled a day after reporting sales that were below expectations.

Futures had indicated a flat open as jobless claims met expectations and investors awaited data on housing and regional manufacturing, but the drop in Oracle pressured the market. Shares were down 8.3 percent to $32.79, the biggest percentage loser on the S&P 500.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 63.55 points, or 0.44%, at 14,448.18. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index  was down 7.72 points, or 0.50%, at 1,550.99. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 23.19 points, or 0.71%, at 3,231.00.