Investing.com - U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher open on Friday, as markets eyed the release of highly anticipated U.S. nonfarm payrolls report later in the day, after strong data on Thursday added to optimism over the strength of the U.S. job market's recovery.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.31% rise, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.34% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.48% climb.
On Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department said the number of people who filed for unemployment assistance last week fell by 15,000 to 330,000 from the previous week’s revised total of 345,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to decline by 10,000.
Investors remained cautious however, after data earlier showed that China's trade surplus narrowed to USD25.6 billion in December, from USD33.8 billion the previous month, compared to expectations for a surplus of USD31.1 billion.
Aluminum producer Alcoa, which kicked off fourth quarter earnings season late Thursday, saw shares plunge 4.96% in pre-market trade after reporting that profit missed analysts’ estimates due to a glut of rolled metal used in the aerospace industry.
Separately, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday charged the company with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, saying its "subsidiaries repeatedly paid bribes to government officials in Bahrain."
Alcoa reportedly agreed to pay USD384 million to settle the SEC charges and a separate case announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tech companies were also expected to be in focus, following reports personal-computer shipments fell 10% in 2013, marking the worst-ever drop due to lackluster holiday.
Elsewhere, YRC Worldwide shares sank 18.63% in early trading after union workers rejected a labor agreement on Thursday that the trucker has said was required to refinance more than USD1 billion of debt and stave off bankruptcy.
In the retail sector, Sears dove 13.79% pre-market after forecasting a fourth-quarter loss and posting lower sales during the holiday period.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were higher. The EURO STOXX 50 gained 0.76%, France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.73%, Germany's DAX advanced 0.86%, while Britain's FTSE 100 jumped 0.91%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.26%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index added 0.20%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release the closely watched government data on nonfarm payrolls and the unemployment rate.
Ahead of the open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a 0.31% rise, S&P 500 futures signaled a 0.34% increase, while the Nasdaq 100 futures indicated a 0.48% climb.
On Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department said the number of people who filed for unemployment assistance last week fell by 15,000 to 330,000 from the previous week’s revised total of 345,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to decline by 10,000.
Investors remained cautious however, after data earlier showed that China's trade surplus narrowed to USD25.6 billion in December, from USD33.8 billion the previous month, compared to expectations for a surplus of USD31.1 billion.
Aluminum producer Alcoa, which kicked off fourth quarter earnings season late Thursday, saw shares plunge 4.96% in pre-market trade after reporting that profit missed analysts’ estimates due to a glut of rolled metal used in the aerospace industry.
Separately, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday charged the company with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, saying its "subsidiaries repeatedly paid bribes to government officials in Bahrain."
Alcoa reportedly agreed to pay USD384 million to settle the SEC charges and a separate case announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tech companies were also expected to be in focus, following reports personal-computer shipments fell 10% in 2013, marking the worst-ever drop due to lackluster holiday.
Elsewhere, YRC Worldwide shares sank 18.63% in early trading after union workers rejected a labor agreement on Thursday that the trucker has said was required to refinance more than USD1 billion of debt and stave off bankruptcy.
In the retail sector, Sears dove 13.79% pre-market after forecasting a fourth-quarter loss and posting lower sales during the holiday period.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were higher. The EURO STOXX 50 gained 0.76%, France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.73%, Germany's DAX advanced 0.86%, while Britain's FTSE 100 jumped 0.91%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.26%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index added 0.20%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release the closely watched government data on nonfarm payrolls and the unemployment rate.