LONDON (Reuters) � Stock index futures pointed to a lower start on Thursday, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq futures 0.1 to 0.2 percent lower at 5.17 a.m. EDT ahead of U.S. weekly jobless claims and U.S. producer price data for August.
At 8.30 am., investors will eye the Labor Department release of first-time claims for jobless benefits for the week ended September 11. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a total of 460,000 new filings compared with 451,000 in the prior week.
Investors will also watch the Labor Department release of the August producer price index at 1230 GMT. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a 0.3 percent rise compared with a 0.2 percent rise in July.
Looking at earnings news, investors will focus on first-quarter results from FedEx and Oracle (ORCL.O).
At 10 a.m., Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner testifies before the Senate Banking Committee on the Treasury Department's report on international economic and exchange rate policies. At 1800 GMT he testifies before the House Ways and Means Committee on China's exchange rate policy.
President Barack Obama plans to name Wall Street critic Elizabeth Warren to a special advisory role helping to set up the new U.S. consumer financial watchdog, Democratic party sources said on Wednesday.
No thanks. That is what Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O) Chief Executive Carol Bartz tells the founder of Alibaba Group whenever he asks if he can buy back Yahoo's 39 percent stake in the Chinese Internet company.
Yahoo (YHOO.F) shares were up 2 percent in Frankfurt.
European shares slipped 0.4 percent on Thursday in morning trade, with miners tracking metal prices lower and sentiment weighing after data showed British retail sales volumes fell last month for the first time since January.
Wall Street advanced on Wednesday but remained hemmed in a trading range as disappointing economic data hindered the S&P 500 from breaking through a stubborn technical level.
The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) gained 0.4 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) rose 0.4 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) climbed 0.5 percent.
(Reporting by Joanne Frearson; Editing by Michael Shields)
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