BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Jobless Claims and a slew of Fed talks are the highlights on Thursday. Initial signs from the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open positive.
Asian shares finished mostly lower, while European shares are trading in the green.
The Brexit developments and U.S.-China trade talks continue to be on focus.
As of 7.30 am ET, the Dow futures were up 41 points, the S&P 500 futures were gaining 4.00 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were progressing 9.25 points.
The U.S. Stocks closed up 6.58 points or less than a tenth of a percent at 26,157.16. The Nasdaq climbed 54.97 points or 0.7 percent to 7,964.24 and the S&P 500 rose 10.01 points or 0.4 percent to 2,888.21.
On the economic front, the Labor Department's Jobless Claims for the week will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The economists are looking for consensus of 211 K while it was 202 K in the previous week.
The Producer Price Index or PPI-FD for March will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for an increase of 0.4 percent, while it grew 0.1 percent in the prior month.
Federal Reserve Board of Governors Vice Chair Richard Clarida will speak on US Economic Outlook and Monetary Policy at the Institute of International Finance Washington Policy Summit in Washington, DC at 9.30 am ET.
New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams will deliver keynote address at the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development 2019 Annual Conference, in New York, NY, with audience Q&A at 9.35 am ET.
St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard will make a presentation at the Community Development Foundation of Tupelo on the U.S. economy and monetary policy in Tupelo, Missouri, followed by audience Q&A at 9.40 am ET.
The Energy Information Administration or EIA's Natural Gas Report for the week will be published at 10.30 am ET. In the prior week, the change was up 23 bcf.
Federal Reserve Member of the Board of Governors Michelle Bowman will deliver a speech on 'Community Banking in the Age of Innovation' at the Fed Family Luncheon in San Francisco, California at 4.00 pm ET.
Five year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities or TIPS auction will be held at 11.00 am ET. The 30-year Bond auction will be held at 1.00 pm ET.
The Fed Balance Sheet for the week is expected at 4.30 pm ET. In the previous week, the level was $3.936 trillion.
The Fed Money Supply for the week is scheduled at 4.30 pm ET. The M2 weekly change was a deficit of $32.3 billion.
Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite index fell as much as 51.97 points or 1.60 percent to 3,189.96. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 0.93 percent to 29,839.45.
Japanese shares ended a choppy session slightly higher. The Nikkei average inched up 23.81 points or 0.11 percent to 21,711.38, while the broader Topix index closed little changed at 1,606.52.
Australian markets fell modestly. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 24.80 points or 0.40 percent to 6,198.70 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended down 22.40 points or 0.35 percent at 6,294.10.
European shares are trading higher. CAC 40 of France is adding 42.22 points or 0.78 percent. DAX of Germany is progressing 44.83 points or 0.38 percent. FTSE 100 of England is gaining 12.07 points or 0.16 percent. Swiss Market Index is up 34.21 points or 0.36 percent.
Euro Stoxx 50 that provides a Blue-chip representation of supersector leaders in the Eurozone, is up 0.45 percent.
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