U.S. Stock Index Futures Signal Stronger Open

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.9 to 1.2 percent.

* The final (third) Q2 estimate for gross domestic product (GDP) will be released at 1230 GMT. Economists forecast a 1.2 percent annualized pace of growth, compared with a 1.0 percent rate in the preliminary (second) estimate.

* First-time claims for jobless benefits for the week ended Sept. 24 are due at 1230 GMT. Economists predict a total of 420,000 new filings, compared with 423,000 in the prior week.

* At 1400 GMT, National Association of Realtors issues Pending Home Sales for August. Economists expect a 1.8 percent drop, compared with a 1.3 percent drop in the previous month.

* The Labor Department issues at 1230 GMT preliminary annual benchmark revision to U.S. nonfarm payrolls for the five years ended March 2011.

* At 1230 GMT, the Commerce Department issues revised Q2 Corporate Profits. In the preliminary Q2 report, profits rose 4.1 percent.

* Hewlett-Packard Co has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc to help the company defend itself against possible activist investors who could push for change, the Wall Street Journal reported.

* Asian technology companies came under pressure on Thursday to slash prices of their tablet computers after Amazon.com launched its Kindle Fire at a mass market-friendly $199.

* Workers represented by the United Auto Workers union approved on Wednesday a four-year labor contract with General Motors , the first such deal for the top U.S. automaker since its 2009 bankruptcy.

* The FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top European shares was up 0.2 percent in choppy trade, after opening lower, ahead of a German vote to ratify new powers on the euro zone rescue fund.

* International auditors return to Athens on Thursday to deliver a verdict on whether Greece's tougher austerity measures qualify for aid to avert a default that would plunge the country into bankruptcy.

* Japan's Nikkei average <.N225> reversed losses to retake the 8,700 level for the first time in over a week, on a rush of buying in the final half-hour of trade as some commodities and U.S. stock futures recovered.

* Commodity-related stocks drove Wall Street lower on Wednesday as stiff declines in energy and metals prices underscored investor concerns about global economic weakness and Europe's debt crisis.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 179.79 points, or 1.61 percent, to 11,010.90. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 24.32 points, or 2.07 percent, to 1,151.06. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 55.25 points, or 2.17 percent, to 2,491.58.