NEW YORK (AP) — Stock futures are inching higher though caution remains ahead of key jobs reports over the next two days.
Analysts say unemployment remains the biggest hurdle to a stronger recovery, and traders avoided any big moves Thursday before the Labor Department’s two reports.
Initial claims for unemployment benefits likely fell by 2,000 last week to 455,000.
The weekly claims data comes a day before the monthly employment figures. It is expected to say Friday that private hiring rose slightly in July, but the unemployment rate also climbed.
Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 13, or 0.1 percent, at 10,648. Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures are up 0.90, or 0.1 percent, at 1,125.50, while Nasdaq 100 index futures are up 2.00, or 0.1 percent, at 1,907.25.
