BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Total deaths due to coronavirus pandemic soared to more than 61,000 in the U.S. while total infections jumped to more than 1,065,000. The market sentiments are low, despite the announcement that Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir might become the standard of care for Covid-19.
Initial inputs from the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open broadly lower.
Jobless Claims for the week, Personal Income and Outlays for March as well as the Employment Cost Index for the first quarter are the major economic announcements on Thursday.
As of 8.20 am ET, the Dow futures were down 172.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were lowering by 17.25 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were progressing 1.25 points. The U.S. major stocks climbed higher on Wednesday. The Dow surged 532.31 points or 2.21 percent to 24,633.86, while the NASDAQ soared 306.98 points or 3.57 percent to 8,914.98 and the S&P 500 jumped 76.12 points or 2.66 percent to end at 2,939.51.
On the economic front, the Labor Department's Jobless claims for the week will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for 3500K, while it was 4,427K in the prior week.
Personal Income and Outlays for March will be released at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for a decline of 1.1 percent, while it grew 0.6 percent in the prior month.
The Labor Department's Employment Cost Index for the first quarter will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for an increase of 0.6 percent, slightly down from 0.7 percent in the prior quarter.
The Market News International's Chicago PMI for April will be issued at 9.45 am ET. The consensus is for an increase of 37.9, while it was up 47.8 in the previous month. The Energy Information Administration or EIA's Natural Gas Report for the week will be released at 10.30 am ET. In the prior week, the change was up 43 bcf.
The Agriculture Department's Farm Prices for March will be announced at 3.00 pm ET. In the prior month, the Farm Prices were up 1.8 percent.
Fed Balance Sheet for the week is expected at 4.30 pm ET. In the prior week, the level was $6.573 trillion.
The Fed Money Supply for the week will be released at 4.30 pm ET. In the prior week, the M2 Weekly change was $124.8 billion.
Asian stocks finished higher on Thursday. Chinese shares rose after the release of mixed economic data. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index rose by 37.64 points, or 1.33 percent, to 2,860.08.
Japanese shares climbed. The Nikkei average rallied 422.50 points, or 2.14 percent, to 20,193.69. The broader Topix index closed 1.03 percent higher at 1,464.03.
Australian markets gained ground as risk appetite improved. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index jumped 129 points, or 2.39 percent, to 5,522.40, while the broader All Ordinaries index ended up 133.90 points, or 2.45 percent, at 5,597.70.
European shares are trading lower. CAC 40 of France is losing 87.28 points or 1.43 percent. DAX of Germany is down 104.08 points or 0.93 percent. FTSE 100 of England is declining 87.60 points or 1.43 percent. Swiss Market Index is sliding 62.73 points or 0.64 percent.
Euro Stoxx 50 that provides a Blue-chip representation of supersector leaders in the Eurozone, is down 0.95 percent.
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