IBT Staff Reporter

Wall Street stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower start on Thursday as investors await earnings news and U.S. weekly jobless data ahead of the all important key U.S. non-farm payrolls figures on Friday.

Costco Wholesale Corp reported a 6 percent rise in July sales at stores open at least a year, helped by inflation in gasoline prices and strengthening foreign currencies, marginally beating market expectations.

Greece's reform efforts are off to a good start but challenges remain, European and International Monetary Fund officials said after an assessment of the country's efforts to resolve its debt crisis. A joint statement from the European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and European Commission said spending had been kept below budget limits and the contraction in the economy was in line with projections.

Lower bad debts propelled higher-than-expected profits at Barclays and Commerzbank on Thursday, but ongoing regulatory and economic uncertainty reined in investor optimism.

The European Central Bank looks set to keep interest rates on hold for the 15th month running on Thursday with the focus of attention its view on an economic recovery that remains in a delicate phase. After a run of strong euro zone data and the success of bank stress tests in calming markets somewhat, ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet is expected to reaffirm that rates remain appropriate, bolstering expectations they will remain on hold well into next year.

The dollar rose on Thursday, recovering as investors unwound bets against the currency thanks to some better signs on the economy ahead of key U.S. non-farm payrolls figures on Friday. An ADP report on Thursday showed the U.S. added 42,000 jobs in July. Coupled with encouraging service sector data, that relieved some of the recent pessimism about the world's biggest economy, but traders said more good news was needed to overturn negative dollar sentiment.

Gold held steady on Thursday after drop in prices from a 2-week high spurred light buying from jewelers in Asia, but firm stock markets were likely to weigh while holdings on the ETF fell slightly. Investors await the release of more data from the United States, particularly the payrolls report, which will offer clues on the health of the economy. Friday's government report on jobs may show a drop of 65,000 in July as census jobs dried up.

Oil fell for a second day on Thursday, approaching $82, as dollar strength kept a lid on prices, neutralizing the effect of upbeat U.S. employment data and a drop in the nation's crude inventories last week.

Country-pop starlet Taylor Swift's record label was forced to release the first single from her upcoming album 12 days ahead of schedule on Wednesday, hours after a bootleg version appeared online.

Time Warner Inc is expected to name former Meredith Corp executive Jack Griffin as chief executive of its publishing arm, Time Inc, the New York Times reported.

World stocks eked out small gains with European shares staying flat on Thursday as investors eyed meetings of the European Central Bank and Bank of England later in the session and Friday's U.S. jobs data loomed large.

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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to pass a proxy access rule that would give large shareholders the right to directly nominate directors on corporate ballots alongside the company's choices, with the cost being borne by the company, the Wall Street Journal said.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday, buoyed by solid earnings from major exporters such as Toyota and chipmaker UMC, while upbeat U.S. economic data lifted the beaten-down dollar and eased some concerns about its recovery.

Asian stocks edged higher on Thursday after solid corporate earnings, including from Toyota Motor and chipmaker UMC, and strong U.S. economic data that lifted the beaten-down dollar.

The cost of borrowing dollars in Asian interbank markets fell to a three-month low on Thursday after recent poor economic data fuelled expectations the Federal Reserve would resume buying Treasuries to support liquidity.

Gold prices edged up in Asian trade Thursday but holdings on the ETF fell marginally. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1194.77 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore time while U.S. gold futures for December delivery was at $1,196.5 an ounce on the comex division of Nymex.

About 200,000 smartphones and other devices based on Google's Android operating system are sold every day, CEO Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday, underscoring the strong challenge to rivals like Apple's iPhone.

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IBM and Aetna Inc on Thursday jointly launched a service aimed at helping hospitals improve patient care by making better use of electronic medical records and other digital data.

Renowned model Naomi Campbell has been granted special protection when she testifies at a UN war crimes tribunal on Thursday over claims that she was given a blood diamond by Liberia's former president Charles Taylor. The court ruled that no one may photograph or film the supermodel as she enters or exits the court building, or while she is in it. She will also have a lawyer on hand to make sure she does not say anything incriminating.

Japanese Trade Minister Masayuki Naoshima said on Thursday that he was worried about a recent rise in the yen as Japanese companies are facing currency risks.

The dollar steadied on Thursday after it enjoyed a rare rally the previous day when U.S. data beat expectations and sparked a bout of short-covering, although the overall mood remains bearish ahead of a key payrolls report. Against the yen, the dollar was down 0.1 percent on the day at 86.19 yen, having bounced from an eight-month low of 85.32 yen hit on Wednesday.

Gold held steady on bargain hunting on Thursday after prices slipped below $1,200 an ounce but firm stock markets were likely to weigh, and holdings on the ETF fell slightly. Investors await the release of more data from the United States, particularly the payrolls report, which will offer clues on the health of the economy. Friday's government report on jobs may show a drop of 65,000 in July as census jobs dried up.

Oil fell for a second day on Thursday, approaching $82, as dollar strength kept a lid on prices, neutralizing the effect of upbeat U.S. employment data and a drop in the nation's crude inventories last week. At the same time, U.S. stockpiles of gasoline and distillate fuels, including diesel, extended a string of gains, contributing to a mixed perception about the outlook for oil demand from the world's top consuming nation for the rest of the year.

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The Bush administration's misguided policies are to blame for huge U.S. budget deficits, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner charged on Wednesday as he sought to build an election-year case for ending tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

About 200,000 smartphones based on Google's Android operating system are sold every day, CEO Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday, underscoring the strong challenge to rivals like Apple's iPhone.

Verizon Communications Inc and Google Inc agreed to a deal over how Internet traffic will be treated, two people familiar with the agreement said on Wednesday.