New York - US stock index futures were very slightly higher on Wednesday as investors looked ahead to a flurry of economic data that will be released, which could indicate whether the market's record levels are justified.
* While tech shares could see some pressure following weak results from Hewlett-Packard, trading is expected to be quiet, with some market participants already out for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The stock market will be closed on Thursday and will close early on Friday.
* Market moves have been slight of late.
Over the past 250 sessions, the S&P 500 has posted an average daily move of 15.8 points, which the benchmark index has not topped in any session in November.
The index's 14-day average move has dropped to 10.59 points from a high of 33.21 on October 23.
* While this week's trend of below-average volume is expected to continue, that thin action could amplify market moves if economic data comes in much stronger or weaker than expected.
Both the Dow and S&P have hit a string of records of late, and the S&P has risen in 12 of its last 15 sessions.
* Among the day's data, durable goods are seen down by 0.6 percent in October while weekly jobless claims fall by 3 000 to 288 000. Both reports will be released at 8:30 am (15:30 SA time).
* After the market opens, investors will look to the November Chicago Purchasing Manager's Index, both new and pending home sales for October, and the final read on November consumer sentiment from the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.
Chicago PMI is seen falling to 63 from 66.2 while sentiment is expected to improve slightly.
* Hewlett-Packard fell 2.3 percent to $36.76 (R404) in premarket trading a day after it said revenue fell in almost every business segment in the fourth quarter, highlighting weaknesses ahead of the company's planned 2015 separation of its enterprise services from its traditional computer and printing units.
* Goldman Sachs, along with platinum and palladium dealers in Europe, has been sued in the United States in what the plaintiff's law firm called the first nationwide class action over alleged price-fixing of the metals.
Futures snapshot:
* S&P 500 e-minis were up 2.25 points, or 0.11 percent, with 73 394 contracts changing hands.
* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 7.5 points, or 0.17 percent, in volume of 10 546 contracts.
* Dow e-minis were up 15 points, or 0.08 percent, with 10 382 contracts changing hands. - Reuters