US Stock Futures Slightly Higher Ahead Of Economic Data

US stock futures are slightly higher this morning. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 16 points to 13,136.00 and S&P 500 index futures rose 0.30 points to 1,398.50. Nasdaq 100 futures gained 5.50 points to 2,712.25. US stocks closed mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging 0.05% to 13,175.64, the S&P 500 index rising 0.06% to 1,402.22 and the Nasdaq 100 index dropping 0.15% to 3,011.25. Weekly jobless claims data and June trade figures will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. However, data on June wholesale inventories will be released at 10 a.m. ET. Wendy's WEN is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.05 per share on sales of $647.46 million. Kohl's KSS is projected to post its Q2 earnings at $0.96 per share on revenue of $4.21 billion. Cooper Tire & Rubber Co CTB is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.50 on revenue of $1.04 billion. Nordstrom JWN is expected to post its Q2 EPS at $0.74 on revenue of $3.02 billion. Windstream WIN is estimated to report its Q2 EPS at $0.13 on revenue of $1.54 billion. NVIDIA NVDA is estimated to post its Q2 EPS at $0.14 on revenue of $1.01 billion. Lions Gate Entertainment LGF is projected to post its Q1 EPS at $0.09 on revenue of $447.34 million. Advance Auto Parts AAP is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $1.39 per share on revenue of $1.48 billion. Brinker International EAT is expected to post its FQ4 earnings at $0.58 per share on revenue of $734.3 million. Monster Beverage MNST posted weaker-than-expected second-quarter results. Boingo Wireless WIFI posted a drop in its second-quarter earnings. European markets were mostly higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 0.15%, French CAC 40 index rose 0.19%. London's FTSE 100 Index moved up 0.03% and German DAX 30 index dropped 0.18%. Asian markets ended mostly higher, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average surging 1.10%, China's Shanghai Composite rising 0.61% and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 0.06%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 1.02% and India's Sensex dropped 0.23%. China's consumer price index climbed 1.8% y/y in July, versus a 2.2% rise in June. However, the country's producer price index fell 2.9% y/y, versus a 2.1% decline in June. Nymex crude-oil futures gained $0.25 to $93.60 a barrel, while gold futures declined $0.30 to $1,615.70 an ounce. The dollar index (DXY) gained 0.28% to 82.58. The euro dropped 0.4% versus the dollar to trade at $1.2317. The US dollar rose 0.06% versus the Japanese yen to trade at ¥78.4850.