LONDON — European stocks are expected to open lower Thursday amid a more cautious turn in global sentiment.London’s FTSE is expected to open 27 points lower at 7,123, Germany’s DAX down 24 points at 15,661, France’s CAC 40 down 10 points at 6,513 and Italy’s FTSE MIB 52 points lower at 25,112, according to IG.The lower open set for Europe reflects cautious sentiment in Asia-Pacific and the U.S., despite the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closing at record highs Wednesday. Overnight, however, futures contracts tied to the major U.S. stock indexes fell in early morning trading Thursday.The U.S. Labor Department’s latest jobless claims figures will be a focal point for investors on Thursday. The weekly update offers Wall Street regular insight into the pace of layoffs in the U.S. economy, which has been declining amid the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.Economists expect to see 350,000 first-time applicants for unemployment benefits for the week ended July 3, according to Dow Jones.cnbc.com