BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The initial signs from the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open higher..
Jobless Claims for the week is the most expected economic news on Thursday.
Asian shares finished mostly lower, while European shares are trading down.
As of 8.00 am ET, the Dow futures were progressing 51.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were adding 6.00 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were gaining 28.00 points.
The major averages climbed off their lows of the session going into the close but remained firmly negative. The Dow tumbled 351.98 points or 1.5 percent to 23,323.66, the Nasdaq plummeted 147.08 points or 2.2 percent to 6,636.83 and the S&P 500 slumped 39.20 points or 1.5 percent to 2,506.96.
On the economic front, the Labor Department's Jobless Claims for the week is scheduled at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for 220K, up from 206K in the prior week.
Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey report for December will be released at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for 16.5 up from 12.9 in the previous month.
Leading indicators for November will be published at 10.00 am ET. The consensus is for 0.0%, while it was up 0.1 percent in the previous month.
The Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Natural Gas Report for the week will be published at 10.30 am ET. In the prior week, the decline was 77 bcf.
Two -year, 5-year and 7-year Treasury Note auction will be held at 11.00 am ET.
The Fed Balance Sheet for the week is expected at 4.30 pm ET. In the previous week, the level was $4.088 trillion.
The Fed Money Supply for week is scheduled at 4.30 pm ET. The M2 weekly change was $55.7 billion.
Asian stocks fell on Thursday on global growth worries. Chinese shares closed at two-month lows.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite index ended down 13.30 points or 0.52 percent at 2,536.27 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 241.86 points or 0.94 percent to 25,623.53.
Japanese shares hit 15-month low. The Nikkei average plunged 595.34 points or 2.84 percent to 20,392.58, the weakest closing level since September 2017. The broader Topix index closed 2.51 percent lower at 1,517.16, the lowest closing level since April 2017.
Australian markets fell sharply to hit a two-year low. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index tumbled 74.80 points or 1.34 percent to 5,505.80 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended down 77.10 points or 1.36 percent at 5,572.90. In economic news, Australia's jobless rate came in at a seasonally adjusted 5.1 percent in November. The Australian economy added 37,000 jobs last month.
European shares are trading in the red. CAC 40 of France is declining 72.16 points or 1.51 percent. DAX of Germany is losing 103.65 points or 0.96 percent. FTSE 100 of England is down 10.77 points or 0.16 percent. Swiss Market Index is dropping 73.05 points or 0.86 percent.
Euro Stoxx 50 that provides a Blue-chip representation of supersector leaders in the Eurozone, is declining 1.26 percent.
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