US STOCKS-Markets tick higher after jobless claims dip

* Jobless claims fall in latest week

* Central bankers converge on Jackson Hole

* 3PAR accepts raised bid from Dell

* Indexes: Dow flat, S&P up 0.1 pct, Nasdaq up 0.2 pct

* For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US] (Updates to after the open)

By Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose slightly on Thursday as an unexpected fall in jobless claims helped boost sentiment on the labor market, considered the economy's biggest obstacle to a strong recovery.

Weekly jobless claims declined more than expected to a seasonally adjusted 473,000 in the latest week. For details, see [ID:nN26186848]

"After last week's disappointing figure, today's number is certainly a relief, but it doesn't change the fact that it's still very elevated at this point of an economic expansion," said Peter Boockvar, equity strategist at Miller Tabak + Co in New York.

"The labor market still remains very sluggish, with businesses still reluctant to hire and take risk."

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 0.15 points, or 0.00 percent, at 10,060.21. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 1.53 points, or 0.14 percent, at 1,056.86. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 5.17 points, or 0.24 percent, at 2,146.71.

The jobless report came a day after weak readings on durable goods and home sales added to a string of bearish data that underlined concerns about a double-dip recession.

Central bankers from around the world will converge later Thursday on the Jackson Hole, Wyoming, mountain resort to assess the darkening economic outlook.

In a speech on Friday, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is likely to discuss the uncertain prospects for the economy, but isn't expected to give many clues about whether the central bank will pump more cash into the economy to keep the recovery going. [ID:nN2485884]

In merger news, data storage company 3PAR Inc accepted a raised buyout bid from Dell Inc , trumping a bid from Hewlett-Packard Co . Shares of 3PAR slid 1.5 percent to $26.37, while Dell was flat at $11.80. HP, a Dow component, was up 0.5 percent at $38.40. [ID:nN26185803]

Other economic data on tap later Thursday includes the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank's July Midwest manufacturing report and the Kansas City Fed's August manufacturing report.

Novell Inc is scheduled to report quarterly results after the market closes and is seen posting a slight decline in profit. (Additional reporting by Angela Moon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)