{"id":42383,"date":"2013-03-07T08:34:00","date_gmt":"2013-03-07T08:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-futures-point-to-a-higher-start\/42383\/"},"modified":"2013-03-07T08:34:00","modified_gmt":"2013-03-07T08:34:00","slug":"stock-futures-point-to-a-higher-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-futures-point-to-a-higher-start\/42383\/","title":{"rendered":"Stock Futures Point to a Higher Start"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\"><!--\ngoogle_ad_client = \"ca-pub-1408583772585547\";\n\/* SMW - News Links *\/\ngoogle_ad_slot = \"3490797620\";\ngoogle_ad_width = 468;\ngoogle_ad_height = 15;\n\/\/-->\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>U.S. stock futures gained on Thursday as market sentiment remained upbeat in the backdrop of improving U.S. economic data and record high valuations of U.S. equities. On Wednesday, the <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/dowjones\/today.aspx\">Dow Jones<\/a> extended its all-time-high level while <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/sp500\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"snp500 today\">S&amp;P 500<\/a> ended 24 points below its record high close.<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-42383\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, spotlight will remain on interest rate policy statements from both the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BOE) later today.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier today, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) left benchmark interest rate unchanged.<\/p>\n<p>At last check, futures on <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/dowjones\/today.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Dow Jones Today\">Dow Jones<\/a> Industrial Average Index inched up 0.07%; those on NASDAQ 100 Index gained 0.30% while futures on S&amp;P 500 Index added 0.12%.<\/p>\n<p>On U.S. economic data front, the Labor Department is expected to release its data on weekly initial jobless claims at 8:30 A.M. EST. economists are expecting initial jobless claims rising to 353,000 from 344,000 in the previous week.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously, the Labor Department will also release two separate data:\u00a0fourth quarter 2012 productivity and unit labor costs.<\/p>\n<p>At 3:00 P.M. EST, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.knowfinance.com\/federal-reserve-system-fed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Federal Reserve<\/a> will release consumer credit report for the month of January.<\/p>\n<p>In Asia, markets ended mixed with Japan\u2019s Nikkei 225 Index edging 0.30%, Hong Kong\u2019s Hang Seng inching down 0.03% while China\u2019s benchmark Index, the Shanghai composite Index tumbling almost 1:00% on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere in Europe, all leading benchmark indexes were trading higher with Pan European Stoxx 600 Index up 0.21% FTSE 100 edging up 0.45% while DAX gaining 0.27%, at last check, Sentiment was buoyed after Spain successfully auctioned sovereign bonds.<\/p>\n<p>Shares of Pet supplies retailer, PetSmart Inc. (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock.aspx?stock=PETM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NASDAQ: PETM<\/a>) will be under pressure. Shares of the pet supply retailer plunged about 9% in afterhours trading on Wednesday as guidance on the current fiscal year fell short of Street\u2019s estimate.<\/p>\n<p>The Kroger Co. (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock.aspx?stock=KR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NYSE: KR<\/a>) is scheduled to report quarterly results ahead of the bell.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"nr_clear\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"nrelate_popular_2\" class=\"nrelate nrelate_popular nrelate_default nr_1col nr_text\"><\/div>\n<p>\t<!--[if IE 6]>\n\t\t<script type=\"text\/javascript\">jQuery('.nrelate_default').removeClass('nrelate_default');<\/script>\n\t<![endif]--><\/p>\n<p>\t<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\t\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\t\tnRelate.domain = \"www2.thestockmarketwatch.com%2Fstock-market-news\";\n\t\tvar entity_decoded_nr_mp_url = jQuery('<span\/>').html(\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20130310111031\/http:\/\/api.nrelate.com\/mpw_wp\/0.51.4\/?tag=nrelate_popular&domain=www2.thestockmarketwatch.com%2Fstock-market-news&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.thestockmarketwatch.com%2Fstock-market-news%2Fstock-futures-point-to-a-higher-start-2%2F42383&nr_div_number=2&maxageposts=7200&increment=1\").text();\n\t\tnRelate.getNrelatePosts(entity_decoded_nr_mp_url);\n\t\/* ]]&gt; *\/\n\t<\/script>\n\n\n<div class=\"nr_clear\"><\/div>\n\n\n<script id=\"mNCC\" language=\"javascript\">  medianet_width='600';  medianet_height= '250';  medianet_crid='814932888';  <\/script>  <script id=\"mNSC\" src=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20130310111031js_\/http:\/\/contextual.media.net\/nmedianet.js?cid=8CUT71M67\" language=\"javascript\"><\/script> \n\n\n\n\n<!-- AddThis Button BEGIN -->\n\n\n<div class=\"addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style\">\n<a class=\"addthis_button_preferred_1\"><\/a>\n<a class=\"addthis_button_preferred_2\"><\/a>\n<a class=\"addthis_button_preferred_3\"><\/a>\n<a class=\"addthis_button_preferred_4\"><\/a>\n<a class=\"addthis_button_compact\"><\/a>\n<a class=\"addthis_counter addthis_bubble_style\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">var addthis_config = {\"data_track_addressbar\":true};<\/script>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/s7.addthis.com\/js\/250\/addthis_widget.js#pubid=pennystocksfinder\"><\/script>\n<!-- AddThis Button END -->\n\n\n\n\n<p>More Posts by this author<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/ann-incs-q4-earnings-beat-estimate-share-rally-ann\/42469\">\nAnn Inc\u2019s Q4 Earnings Beat Estimate, Share Rally (ANN)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/mcdonalds-reports-less-than-feared-drop-in-same-store-sales-mcd\/42467\">\nMcDonald\u2019s Reports Less Than Feared Drop in Same-Store Sales (MCD)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stocks-end-higher-dow-jones-closes-at-yet-another-record-high\/42465\">\nStocks End Higher; Dow Jones Closes at Yet Another Record High<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/gold-prices-edge-higher-silver-prices-also-gain-21\/42462\">\nGold Prices Edge Higher; Silver Prices also Gain<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-stocks-held-modest-gains-european-equities-close-higher\/42457\">\nU.S. Stocks Held Modest Gains, European Equities Close Higher<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/forex-market-update-dollar-slips-against-euro-edges-higher-against-yen\/42453\">\nForex Market Update: Dollar Slips Against Euro; Edges Higher Against Yen<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/u-s-stocks-edge-higher-dow-jones-extends-all-time-high-level\/42450\">\nU.S. Stocks Edge Higher, Dow Jones Extends All-Time-High Level<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<hr>\n\n\n\n\n\n<table style=\"border:none;margin:0;\">\n\n\n<tr>\n\n\n<td style=\"padding:5px;vertical-align:top;\" valign=\"top\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20130310111031im_\/http:\/\/www2.thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/userphoto\/5.jpg\" alt=\"edliston\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" class=\"photo\"><\/td>\n\n\n\n\n<td style=\"padding:5px;vertical-align:top;\" valign=\"top\">\n\n\n<div style=\"font-size:11pt;\"><b>Post Written By: Ed Liston <\/b><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"font-size:10pt;\">\n\nEd Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing in his yacht.\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/td>\n\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<!--script type=\"text\/javascript\">\ngoogle_ad_client = \"pub-1408583772585547\";\n\/* 336x280, created 7\/9\/11 *\/\ngoogle_ad_slot = \"3552319058\";\ngoogle_ad_width = 336;\ngoogle_ad_height = 280;\n\n<\/script>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\nsrc=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\n<\/script-->\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\n\n<div style=\"margin:5px;margin-bottom:20px;font-size:11pt;\">&laquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/\">Return to Stock Market News<\/a> &laquo; <\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. stock futures gained on Thursday as market sentiment remained upbeat in the backdrop of improving U.S. economic data and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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