Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 share indexes are up 0.3-0.6 percent, pointing to a higher start on Wall Street on Friday.

The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers preliminary March consumer sentiment index, due at 1355 GMT (9:55 a.m. EDT), is forecast at 55.0 in March, against February's final reading of 56.3.

Boeing , the world's second-largest airplane maker, is due to release its proxy statement. The company has been plagued by order cancellations amid economic recession and delays to its 787 Dreamliner program.

Clothing retailer American Apparel Inc is near a deal to sell a 20 percent stake to British private equity firm Lion Capital for about $80 million, the New York Times said, citing people involved in the deal. The deal is expected to be announced Friday.

U.S. stocks rose for a third day on Thursday on relief that a ratings cut by S&P in General Electric was just one notch and that no further cuts loomed, while retail sales data showed some stabilization in consumer spending.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash; Editing by Greg Mahlich)