S&P 500 index futures trimmed gains and briefly turned negative on Thursday after data showed claims for first-time job benefits rose more than expected last week, and retail sales unexpectedly fell in December.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.2 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures gained 17 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 1.5 points.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr)

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