Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for U.S. shares on Friday as investors awaited U.S. GDP figures and earnings from companies such as Chevron and Allergan.

At 5 a.m. ET, futures for the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were up between 0.1-0.3 percent.

European equities fell in choppy trading early on Friday after hitting their highest level in nearly nine months in the previous session, with weaker energy and pharma shares overshadowing positive miners and banks.

At 5 a.m., the FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top European shares was down 0.1 percent at 930.00 points after closing 2.2 percent higher on Thursday.

U.S. GDP is due out at 8.30 a.m. A Reuters poll of economists showed a median forecast of a 1.5 percent contraction in the U.S. economy in the second-quarter, on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, compared with a 5.5 percent contraction recorded for the first quarter.

Chevron is reporting second-quarter numbers with analysts expecting the company to report earnings per share at $1 compared to $2.90 previously.

Allergan is reporting second-quarter results with analysts expecting the company to report earnings per share of 67 cents compared to 63 cents previously.

Weyerhaeuser is reporting second-quarter numbers with analysts expecting the company to report a loss of 68 cents a share compared to earnings of 3 cents a share previously.

Second-quarter figures are expected from Apartment Investment Management with analysts expecting the company to report a loss of 35 cents a share compared to 18 cents a year ago.

The New York NAPM releases July index of regional business activity at 1300 GMT. In June, the index read 359.0.

At 9.45 a.m. is the release of the Institute of Supply Management Chicago releases July index of manufacturing activity. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a reading of 43.0 compared with 39.9 in June.

Shares in Saks Inc fell 2.9 percent to $5.08 in extended trade on Thursday after the company filed for a $400 million mixed stock shelf, allowing it to issue shares at a later date.

Shares of Gen-Probe Inc fell 8.5 percent after the closing bell on Thursday after it lowered the top-end of its full-year forecast because of disappointing blood screening revenue.

Shares in Dryships Inc rose 5.7 percent to $7.10 in extended trade on Thursday after the shipping company reported second quarter results.

The dozens of insurance companies that make up the American International Group show signs of considerable weakness even after their corporate parent got the biggest bailout in history, a review of state regulatory filings shows, reported the New York Times.

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as solid corporate profit reports and a drop in the number of Americans on jobless benefits gave investors reasons to buy equities following the S&P 500's two days of losses.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> added 0.92 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 1.19 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 0.84 percent.

(Reporting by Joanne Frearson; Editing by Hans Peters)

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