Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 rise 0.1 to 0.3 percent, pointing to a firmer start on Wall Street on Friday.

International trade data for October will be released at 1330 GMT. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a $43.6 billion deficit, compared with a $44 billion deficit in September.

Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers release preliminary December consumer sentiment index at 1455 GMT. Economists expect a reading of 72.5, compared with 71.6 in the final November report.

Resource-related stocks will be in focus as data showed China's imports and exports were much stronger-than-expected in November, robust numbers that could clear the way for the central bank to raise interest rates as soon as this weekend.

U.S. aviation regulators are drafting enhanced inspection mandates to step up their examinations of more than 600 Boeing Co's 757 airplanes worldwide, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

At 1530 GMT, Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) releases its weekly index of economic activity for the week ended Dec 3. In the prior week the index read 125.4.

Bank of America Corp restarted about 16,000 home foreclosure cases across the United States on Monday, the Wall Street Journal said.

Component suppliers for Apple Inc's iPad are gearing up for a new round of production in the first quarter, sources said on Friday, with one saying the product will be a revamp of the popular tablet computer including front and back-mounted cameras.

Shares in Netflix , F5 Networks , Newfield Exploration and Cablevision Systems were up 3.8 to 5.7 percent in extended trade on Thursday as the companies will join the S&P 500 after trading closes on December 17.

Sanofi-Aventis SA will likely buy time by extending its $18.5 billion cash offer for Genzyme Corp and try to hammer out a deal that may involve a higher pay-out if the U.S. biotech meets milestones.

The French drugmaker's tender offer for Genzyme ends at 11:59 p.m. New York time on Friday. Sanofi, which is expected to extend the offer by 50 days, must make a statement before the U.S. stock markets open on Monday.

Japan's Nikkei average <.N225> closed down 0.7 percent on Friday, while European shares were flat in early trade, with banks down and automakers up.

On Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dipped 2.42 points, or 0.02 percent, to 11,370.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 4.72 points, or 0.38 percent, to 1,233.00. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 7.51 points, or 0.29 percent, to 2,616.67.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash; Editing by Will Waterman)

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