Stock index futures held slight gains on Thursday after government data showed initial jobless claims were essentially unchanged while housing starts and permits painted a mixed picture.

S&P 500 futures rose 1.4 points and were slightly above fair value fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 8 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures added 4.25 points.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)