Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Thursday following the previous session's sharp losses, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.21 percent and Dow Jones futures down 0.24 percent, while Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.08 percent at 0941 GMT (5:41 a.m. ET).

World stocks hit a three-month low on Thursday, the euro slumped to a one-month trough and top-rated government bonds rose as concerns intensified the lack of a deal on Greek debt might trigger disorderly market moves.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou prepared to reshuffle his cabinet on Thursday and press ahead with a new round of austerity measures demanded by Greece's international lenders for the country to avoid default.

On the macro front, investors awaited U.S. housing starts and permits, weekly jobless claims, and the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank's business activity survey.

The number of U.S. homes seized by banks fell in May as processing delays continued to hamper foreclosures, a closely watched survey said on Thursday.

The China units of HSBC Holdings <0005.HK> and Citigroup Inc have won initial approval to underwrite corporate debt in China, paving the way for them to be the first foreign banks to win the coveted licenses, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Research In Motion will have to struggle to give investors good news when it reports results after markets close on Thursday, but details on when new BlackBerry devices will hit shelves might help.

Demag Cranes AG said it expected to recommend an offer by Terex Corp after the U.S. construction machinery maker sweetened its bid and agreed to give its German rival autonomy after a deal.

Citigroup Inc said a cyber attack in May affected almost twice as many accounts as the bank's figures had initially suggested, as major U.S. lenders come under growing pressure from lawmakers to improve account security.

Boeing on Thursday forecast a $4 trillion market for 33,500 passenger jets over the next 20 years. The forecast, which covers sales by Boeing and Airbus and other smaller aircraft manufacturers, signals a strong increase in demand on the eve of the Paris airshow which starts on Monday.

U.S. stocks tumbled on Wednesday, driven lower by escalating Greek debt woes, while troubling U.S. data pointed to further losses ahead.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 178.84 points, or 1.48 percent, to 11,897.27. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> lost 22.45 points, or 1.74 percent, to 1,265.42. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> slid 47.26 points, or 1.76 percent, to 2,631.46.

The CBOE Volatility Index <.VIX> jumped 16.8 percent to 21.32 -- its highest level since March 18.

(Reporting by Blaise Robinson; editing by Sophie Walker)

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