U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower start on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq down 0.1-0.3 percent at 5:30 a.m. EST.
U.S. stock index futures were modestly lower on Thursday with technology shares in focus after cautious comments from Cisco, as investors awaited jobless data.
Asian stocks hit highs for the week on Thursday after new austerity steps pledged by Portugal and Spain raised hopes that Europe's debt crisis can be contained, while IBM's strong profit forecast boosted tech shares.
Germany's SAP AG said it plans to buy smaller business software maker Sybase Inc for $5.8 billion, gaining technology that allows it to deliver accounting software and other programs to smartphones.
Germany's SAP AG said it plans to buy smaller business software maker Sybase Inc for $5.8 billion, gaining technology that allows it to deliver its programs to mobile devices like the iPhone.
Spain belatedly joined the euro zone's austerity bandwagon Wednesday in response to a widening debt crisis as the European Commission sought an unprecedented right of prior review of national budgets.
The trade deficit hit its widest point in 15 months in March as a broadening economic recovery boosted demand for foreign goods, with a rise in exports and imports seen as a sign of growing global demand.
Last week's action on Wall Street and other world markets demonstrated anew gold's special qualities as a financial life preserver in tumultuous and uncertain times. With stock prices plummeting and the euro continuing to lose value as well as credibility, gold was virtually the only financial and investment asset to shine, continuing its recent sharp climb and breaking through the $1,200 level, according to Jeffrey Nichols, Senior Economic Advisor to Rosland Capital.
Spain became the latest euro zone country to announce sweeping austerity measures on Wednesday as the executive European Commission sought unprecedented power to pre-vet national budgets.
After the initial surprise and shock generated by the Euro rescue mission worth $1 trillion, the ominous economic woes loomed large over the global markets and as a result the safe haven quotient of gold soared again and the yellow metals again started its upward journey with the prices jumping above $1,200 per ounce levels. Mostly the gold futures market across the globe witnessed the surge as investors were skeptical about the IMF-EU-sponsored bailout package for the Euro zone.
Nissan Motor Co expects growth in emerging markets and launches of new models such as its Micra compact to provide only a modest boost to profits this year, in a cautious view echoing its larger Japanese rivals.
European shares jumped more than 1 percent and the euro strengthened on Wednesday on signs of continued German growth and Spain's plans to cut its deficit.
The last major European country to approve keeping Opel afloat with money backstopped by taxpayers could make a preliminary recommendation on Wednesday affecting as many as 120,000 jobs in Germany alone.
Germany's cabinet approved the biggest national contribution to a $1 trillion emergency package intended to stabilize the euro, as global markets sobered up after Monday's euphoric rally.
Europe's travel industry is counting the cost of air traffic disruption caused by a volcanic ash cloud which forced thousands of flights to be canceled and is braced for more stoppages this month.
Excitement over the euro zone's mammoth $1 trillion rescue package gave way on Tuesday to doubts whether its weakest economies can meet their end of the bargain and deliver drastic debt cuts, driving the euro and stocks lower.
A $1 trillion emergency package to stabilize the euro zone unleashed a spectacular rally in world stocks on Monday but the euro wiped out initial gains as worries about the region's debt problems persisted.
McDonald's Corp reported a higher-than-expected 4.9 percent rise in worldwide April sales at established restaurants, boosted by strength in Europe, and its shares rose about 4 percent.
A $1 trillion global emergency package to stabilize the euro unleashed a spectacular rally in European stocks and bonds on Monday but analysts said EU leaders had only bought time to tackle deep-seated fiscal problems.
European central banks began buying euro zone government bonds under a $1 trillion global emergency rescue package agreed on Monday, sending the euro and European stocks and bonds surging on relieved markets.
The euro rebounded from 14-month lows and Asian stocks jumped on Monday after the European Union and IMF carved out an emergency rescue package of up to 750 billion euros ($1 trillion) to keep Greece's debt crisis from spreading through the euro zone.
A $1 trillion global emergency rescue package to stabilize the euro reversed the slide in world financial markets on Monday but left longer-term questions about whether Europe's weakest economies can manage their debt.
