Stock futures briefly pare losses after jobs data

U.S. stock index futures briefly pared losses on Thursday after weekly jobless data showed the number of U.S. workers filing new benefit claims fell for the second week in a row.

* Futures were still weighed down by an earnings forecast from retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc , which threatened to halt a six-day streak of gains for the Dow industrials.

* Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped last week to a seasonally adjusted 502,000, the lowest since January, from a revised 514,000 the prior week. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected initial claims to fall to 510,000 from an initially reported 512,000.

(Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)