US pre-open: Futures edge up ahead of a fresh batch of economic indicators

Stock futures were pointing higher ahead of the release of another batch of economic reports.

The weekly jobless statistics were expected to be the most important of those, given the recent very solid readings for the country's job market.

Nonetheless, investors were also expectant ahead of the personal consumption expenditures price deflators - the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, that were due out on the following day.

As of 1312 BST, the Dow Jones mini futures contract was adding 96 points to 34,197.0, alongside a 12.0 point gain on the mini contract for the S&P 500 to 4,429.50.

The Nasdaq-100 mini contract meanwhile was in the green by 47.50 points at 15,177.50.

On the economic calendar for Thursday, at 1330 BST the Department of Labor was scheduled to release the latest weekly unemployment claims numbers.

In parallel, Commerce would publish a revised reading on first quarter gross domestic product.

Those data points would be followed by the National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales Index for May at 1500 BST.