Wall St eyes lower open on inflation concerns, Fed speakers in focus

FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in Manhattan, New York City, U.S. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo

WALL Street's main indexes were set to open lower on Thursday as weaker-than-expected jobless claims data added to concerns about sticky inflation, while investors awaited comments from key Federal Reserve officials later in the day.

Denting sentiment further, Apple dropped 3.5% in premarket trading amid news that China has widened curbs on the use of iPhones by state employees, requiring staff at some central government agencies to stop using their mobile phones at work.