US futures tick up ahead of data flurry

The US bourse is set to open higher as European leaders get ready to meet.

The US bourse is set to open higher as European leaders get ready to meet.

Published Jul 3, 2014

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New York - US stock index futures ticked up in light volume on Thursday after the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials closed at a record, ahead of a short session on Wall Street that is packed with economic data.

* The key government non-farm payrolls numbers are due at 8:30 a.m. EDT (14:30 SA time) and are expected to show the economy created 212,000 jobs last month according to a Reuters survey of economists.

The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 6.3 percent.

* Data on international trade, claims for unemployment insurance as well as two sets of numbers on the US services sector are also due later on Thursday.

* The closing bell will ring at 1 p.m. (19:00 SA time) and equity markets will be closed Friday for the Independence Day holiday.

* S&P 500 e-mini futures were up 2 points and fair value - a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract - indicated a slightly higher open.

Dow Jones industrial average e-mini futures rose 15 points and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures added 5 points.

* Volkswagen denied planning a bid for US truck maker Paccar after analysts published comments in a research note from a senior executive of German rival Daimler saying he had heard of such a plan.

Paccar shares were inactive in early trading.

* Lululemon shares rose 4.5 percent in light premarket trading as founder Dennis Wilson's advisers have been talking to private equity firms about a possible buyout, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

* Regado Biosciences shares fell 38.6 percent after the Data Safety Monitoring Board started an unplanned review of data from a trial and the company said patient enrollment has been paused until the DSMB returns with recommendations. - Reuters

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