NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are set to continue their rally as investors prepare for a new report that is expected to show unemployment claims fell for the third straight week.
The Labor Department is expected to say Thursday that people requesting unemployment benefits for the first time dipped by 2,000 last week to 470,000.
Claims are still at levels that indicate the jobs market is weak and rapid hiring is unlikely anytime soon. But investors have taken solace in modest improvements recently that likely mean the economy will continue to grow slowly during the rest of the year.
Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 32, or 0.3 percent, at 10,424. S&P 500 futures are up 3.80, or 0.4 percent, at 1,103.10, while Nasdaq 100 futures are up 7.25, or 0.4 percent, at 1,884.75.
