US Stock Futures Up; All Eyes On Economic Data

US stock futures are higher this morning, ahead of weekly jobless claims and producer prices data. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 27 points to 12,771.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 3.50 points to 1,367.50. Nasdaq 100 futures gained 6.75 points to 2,711.00.

US stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 0.70% to 12,805.39, the S&P 500 index rising 0.74% to 1,368.71 and the Nasdaq 100 index gaining 0.84% to 3,016.46.

Data on weekly jobless claims, February trade balance and March producer prices will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.
 
Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) is estimated to post its latest quarter earnings at $9.65 per share on revenue of $8.14 billion. Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.34 per share on revenue of $764.7 million.
 
Rite Aid Corp (NYSE: RAD) is projected to report a FQ4 loss at $0.14 per share on revenue of $6.98 billion. JB Hunt Transport Services Inc (NASDAQ: JBHT) is estimated to post its latest quarter earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $1.15 billion.
 
Commerce Bancshares Inc (NASDAQ: CBSH) is projected to post its latest quarter earnings at $0.67 per share on revenue of $259.1 million. Bank of the Ozarks Inc (NASDAQ: OZRK) is expected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.51 per share on revenue of $60.22 million.
 
Avid Technology Inc (NASDAQ: AVID) issued downbeat first-quarter revenue forecast.
 
European markets were mostly lower today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index declined 0.13%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 0.24%, French CAC 40 index fell 0.64% and German DAX 30 index gained 0.33%.
 
Asian markets ended higher, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rising 0.70%, China's Shanghai Composite rising 1.82% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving up 0.79%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.93% and India's Sensex surged 0.77%.
 
Crude oil for May delivery gained $0.31 to $103.01 a barrel. The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects a 0.9% rise in 2012 global oil demand.
 
Gold for June delivery dropped $2.50 to $1,658 an ounce.

The ICE dollar index (DXY) dropped 0.02% to 79.72, versus 79.791 in late North American trading on Wednesday.

By Monica Gerson