Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to a lower opening on Friday as investors await key U.S. monthly non-farm payrolls and unemployment data from the government.

Futures on the S&P 500 are down 0.24 percent, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average are down 0.19 percent and Nasdaq100 futures are down 0.20 percent.

Investors are eagerly waiting for the government's monthly nonfarm payrolls report, which is the most closely-watched economic data pertaining to the jobs market and is a key gauge for the direction and pace of the economic recovery.

Expectations had gotten high after the ADP National Employment Report on Wednesday stated that the private sector added about 297,000 jobs in December.

The Labor Department is due to report monthly non-farm payrolls data at 8:30 am EDT. The median forecast for the non-farm payrolls is a gain of 150,000 jobs in December, compared with a gain of 39,000 jobs in the previous month, while unemployment rate is expected to edge down to 9.7 percent from 9.8 percent in the previous month.

On the corporate front, shares of KB Home will be on focus as the company is expected swing to a net loss of $0.17 per share in fourth quarter compared net profit of $1.31 per share in the same quarter a year ago.

On Thursday, US stocks finished mixed in queasy trading ahead of Friday’s nonfarm payroll report from the government. Investors also pondered a rise in initial jobless claims and some weaker-than-expected December sales from some major retailers.

The euro declined 0.19 percent to 1.2978 against the dollar and the yen declined 0.23 percent against the greenback.

Crude oil futures advanced 0.02 percent to $88.40/barrel and gold futures declined 0.65 percent.

European stock markets are currently trading in lower with FTSE 100 down by 29.61 points, DAX30 down by 10.54 points and CAC 40 down by 20.15 points.

Gold Dow jones Ftse Unemployment