Investing.com - Wall Street futures were steady to higher on Thursday, amid shrply higher oil prices and as investors awaited the European Central Bank’s policy decision due later in the day.
The blue-chip Dow futures was up 0.08%, the S&P 500 futures edged 0.09% higher, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures inched up 0.05%.
Later the ECB was expected to leave interest rates unchanged. However, speculation over potential easing measures lent support to global equities.
Energy-related stocks were expected to move higher as oil prices rallied on Thursday as ahead of fresh weekly information on U.S. stockpiles of crude and refined products.
Shares in oil and gas major Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) gained 0.33% in pre-market trade, while rival company Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) advanced 0.34%.
Houston-based company Spectra Energy (NYSE:SE) was up 0.07% pre-market after sayingt it was being acquired by Canadian pipeline company Enbridge.
The tech sector was also set to be in the spotlight, as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled its iPhone 7 at an event in San Francisco. The company’s shares declined 0.49% pre-market.
Elsewhere, Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (NASDAQ:SFM) was expected to decline further, after shares dove over 13% on Wednesday and slid 0.30% after hours as the grocery store chain cut its quarterly and 2016 guidance.
Companies scheduled to release earnings reports on Thursday included Donaldson Company Inc (NYSE:DCI), Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS), Duluth Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:DLTH) and Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ:FNSR).
Later in the day, the U.S. was set to release the weekly data on jobless claims.