US Stock Futures Flat As Investors Await Economic Data

US stock futures are flat this morning, as investors are awaiting economic data. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 9 points to 11,854 and S&P 500 index futures rose 0.90 points to 1,231.90. Nasdaq 100 futures gained 1 point to 2,314.75.

US stocks closed lower on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 1.58% to 11,905.59, the S&P 500 index declining 1.66% to 1,236.91 and the Nasdaq 100 index dipping 1.73% to 2,639.61.

Data on weekly jobless claims and housing starts for October will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. However, the Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey for November will be released at 10 a.m. ET.

Sears Holding Corp (NASDAQ: SHLD) is expected to report a Q3 loss at $2.29 per share on sales of $9.63 billion. Ross Stores Inc (NASDAQ: ROST) is projected to report its Q3 EPS at $1.24 on sales of $2.05 billion. Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS) is projected to report its Q3 EPS at $0.36 on revenue of $3.61 billion. Perry Ellis International Inc (NASDAQ: PERY) is projected to post its Q3 EPS at $0.61 on revenue of $254.9 million.

Intuit Inc (NASDAQ: INTU) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.12 per share on revenue of $580.66 million. Dole Food Company Inc (NYSE: DOLE) is estimated to post a Q3 loss at $0.10 per share on revenue of $2.02 billion. New York & Company Inc (NYSE: NWY) is projected to post a Q3 loss at $0.16 per share on revenue of $225.98 million.

Stage Stores Inc (NYSE: SSI) is expected to post a Q3 loss at $0.30 per share on sales of $333 million. Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) is estimated to report its Q3 EPS at $0.31 on revenue of $571.42 million. The Children's Place Retail Stores Inc (NASDAQ: PLCE) is estimated to report its Q3 EPS at $1.27 on revenue of $467.9 million. Dollar Tree Inc (NASDAQ: DLTR) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.83 per share on sales of $1.58 billion.

NetApp Inc (NASDAQ: NTAP) reported its FQ2 profit, excluding one-time items, at $0.63 per share, on sales of $1.51 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.60 per share on sales of $1.55 billion. NetApp projects FQ3 earnings between $0.36 and $0.40 per share on revenue between $1.52 billion and $1.61 billion.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) reported its FQ4 profit from operations at $0.21 per share on revenue of $2.18 billion. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.19 per share on revenue of $2.16 billion.

European markets were lower today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index declined 1.23%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 1.24%, French CAC 40 index fell 1.36% and German DAX 30 index dropped 0.82%.

Asian markets ended mostly lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rising 0.1946%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving up 0.24% and China's Shanghai Composite declining 0.76%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.7565% and India's Sensex dropped 1.87%.

The dollar index (DXY) fell 0.24% to 78.23. The euro gained 0.10% against the dollar to trade at $1.3477.

Gold futures for December delivery declined 0.93% to $1,758.70 an ounce.

Crude oil for December delivery fell 0.24% to $102.34 a barrel in electronic trading on Globex.