Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for U.S. shares on Friday after snapping a six-day winning streak in the previous session, with investors awaiting earnings from JC Penney and Abercrombie & Fitch .

At 5:06 a.m. EST, futures for both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones industrial average were 0.3 percent higher and Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.2 percent.

European shares advanced for a third day on Friday, as the planned merger between British Airways and Iberia helped the market. But gains were limited after German and French third-quarter economic growth came in below expectations.

The FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top European shares was up 0.1 percent at 1,015.65 points after hitting a three-week closing high in the previous session.

Abercrombie & Fitch is announcing third-quarter results, with analysts in a Reuters survey forecasting the company to earn 0.20 cents a share compared with 0.72 cents a year ago.

JC Penney is reporting third-quarter numbers, with analysts in a Reuters survey expecting the company to earn 0.11 cents a share compared with 0.55 cents a year ago.

Agilent Technologies is reporting fourth-quarter results, with analysts in a Reuters survey expecting the company to earn 0.23 cents a share compared with 0.62 cents a year ago.

The U.S. Commerce Department releases September international trade data at 8:30 a.m. EST. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a $31.65 billion deficit compared with a $30.71 billion deficit in August.

The Reuters/University of Michigan Preliminary November Consumer Sentiment is due for release at 9:55 a.m. EST. Economists in a Reuters survey expect a reading of 71.0 compared with 70.6 in the final October report.

Researchers will present results with potentially significant implications for multibillion-dollar cholesterol medications from Merck & Co Inc , reported the New York Times.

The study represents the first major news event that could affect Merck earnings after the $41.1 billion merger the drug giant completed with Schering-Plough Corp.

Some former bankers are planning to bid for failing banks in the Federal Insurance Deposit Corp auction process, and getting financial backing from Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Deutsche Bank AG , the Wall Street Journal reported citing sources.

Shares of Walt Disney Co jumped 3.4 percent to $30.03 in extended trade on Thursday after the company reported fourth-quarter results.

Shares of Nordstrom Inc fell 3.1 percent to $33.44 after the closing bell on Thursday as the retailer reported third-quarter results.

The Dow industrials six-day winning streak came to a halt on Thursday as a drop in oil prices pulled energy stocks lower and a guarded outlook from Wal-Mart fanned worries about consumer spending.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 0.9 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> 1 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> lost 0.8 percent.

(Reporting by Joanne Frearson; Editing by Erica Billingham)

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