FTSE

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to lower opening on Thursday following weaker-than-expected reports on durable goods orders and consumer spending.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices remained-range bound on Thursday ahead of a wave of economic data including key weekly U.S. jobs data from the government.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to flat opening on Wednesday after government data showed that US economic activity grew at a 2.6 percent annual rate in the third quarter.

Leisure company Carnival Corp. & Plc reported a 29 percent rise in fourth quarter profit, as 4.9 percent capacity increase and higher revenue yields drove revenue growth.

S&P 500 Index gained 3.00 points, or 0.24 percent, to trade at 1,246.91 at 09:50 a.m. EST. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 7.11 points, or 0.06 percent, to trade at 11,499.02. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.20 percent to trade at 2,648.31.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices remained-range bound on Thursday ahead of economic data, including key weekly U.S. jobs data from the government.

Stocks on Wall Street drifted lower, erasing an early-session rally, as the dollar jumped and traders weighed a credit downgrade warning on Spain and the U.S. Senate’s passage of the $885-billion tax cut extension bill.

U.K. chipmaker Imagination Technologies, which licenses and sells its designs to Intel and Apple, said interim pretax profits doubled on strong revenue growth from both licensing and royalties. The volume of partner chips shipping with Imagination’s IP has nearly doubled to 107 million.

Bunzl Plc, Britain's distribution and outsourcing company, sees full year group revenue growth to be between 3 percent and 4 percent boosted by acquisitions.

A late-day sell-off, ahead of the U.S. Senate vote on the compromised tax bill, pushed the major equity indices to session lows, resulting in a mixed performance for stocks.

European equities will beat 2010 gains by the end of next year, as companies get some help from better earnings and record-low interest rates that will overcome the sovereign debt crisis, Bloomberg said, citing a survey of 13 strategists.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to higher opening on Friday ahead of economic data including trade balance and monthly import price index.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to higher opening after the Department of Labor reported that weekly jobless claims declined last week.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to higher opening on Thursday as better-than-expected Japanese economic growth boosted sentiment.

British packaging company DS Smith Plc said first half pretax profit rose 17.5 percent, helped by strong volume and revenue growth in the recycled packaging business.

British IT services company Micro Focus International Plc reported a 63 percent rise in pretax profit for the first half as revenue rose and the company lifted its interim dividend by 28.6 percent to 7.2 cents.

U.S. stocks advanced in early trade on Tuesday as sentiment was buoyed by President Barack Obama's announcement of an agreement with Republicans on a plan to extend income tax cuts for all Americans.

British construction products supplier Wolseley said trading profit rose 39 percent in the first quarter, helped by revenue growth in the US and Canada as well as cost control measures.

S&P 500 Index slid 3.63 points, or 0.31 percent, to trade at 1,220.95 at 09:55 a.m. EST. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 30.08 points, or 0.26 percent, to trade at 11,352.01. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.28 percent to trade at 2,584.64.

Futures on the S&P 500 are down 0.30 percent to 1,219.80, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average are down 0.21 percent to 11,340.00 and Nasdaq100 futures are down 0.19 percent to 2,183.00.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to lower on Friday after a government report showed that the unemployment rate unexpectedly increased in November.