Wall Street Might Open Marginally Up

(RTTNews) - The weekly jobless claims and producer price inflation might be the focus on Thursday. Early trends on the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open slightly up.

Asian shares finished mostly lower, while European shares are trading mostly up.

U.S. President Donald Trump has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to half the war, while Putin said Trump is making energetic efforts to end Ukraine war. Putin will be meeting Trump at Alaska on Friday.

As of 8.10 am ET, the Dow futures were up 10.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were adding 1.75 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were progressing 11.25 points.

The U.S. major averages finished higher. The Nasdaq inched up 31.24 points or 0.1 percent to 21,713.14 and the S&P 500 rose 20.82 points or 0.3 percent to 6,466.58, while the narrower Dow posted a more significant gain, jumping 463.66 points or 1.0 percent to 44,922.27.

On the economic front, the Jobless Claims for the week will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is 230K, while it was up 226K in the prior week.

The PPI-Final Demand for July will be released at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is up 0.2 percent, while it was at 0.0 perent.

The Energy Information Administration or EIA's Natural Gas Report for the week will be released at 10.30 am ET. In the prior week, the gas stock was up 7 bcf.

Thirty-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities or TIPS auction will be held at 11.00 am ET. 20-year Treasury Bond auction will be held at 11.00 am ET.

The Fed Balance Sheet for the week is scheduled at 4.30 pm ET. In the prior week, the Level was at $6.641 trillion.

Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite index dipped 0.46 percent to 3,666.44. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index hit a new 2025 high of 25,767 and ended at 25,519.32.

Japanese markets were lower at the close. The Nikkei average fell 1.45 percent to 42,649.26 while the broader Topix index settled 1.10 percent lower at 3,057.95.

Australian markets finished higher. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.53 percent at 8,873.80 while the broader All Ordinaries index ended up 0.51 percent at 9,149.10.

European shares are trading higher. CAC 40 of France is adding 44.14 points or 0.57 percent. DAX of Germany is gaining 166.52 points or 0.69 percent. FTSE 100 of England is progressing 8.70 points or 0.09 percent. The Swiss Market Index is up 35.72 points or 0.30 percent.

Euro Stoxx 50 that provides a Blue-chip representation of supersector leaders in the Eurozone, is up 0.60 percent.