US Stock Futures Flat As Investors Await Economic Data, ECB Meeting; Bed Bath & Beyond Shares Rise In Pre-Market Trading

US stock futures are flat this morning, as investors are awaiting economic data and the European Central Bank (ECB) interest-rate meeting. Several retailers are also scheduled to report same-store sales. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2 points to 12,355.00, while those for the S&P 500 index fell 0.10 point to 1,328.80. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index lost 0.75 point to 2,324.75. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.27% to 12,427, the S&P 500 index gained 0.22% to 1,336 and the Nasdaq 100 index surged 0.31% to 2,800. Data on weekly jobless claims will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. Consumer-credit data for February will be released at 3 p.m. ET. The ECB is scheduled to announce the rate decision at 7:45 a.m. ET. Costco Wholesale Corp

reported a 13% increase in its March same-store sales. However, analysts were expecting 7.4% rise in March same-store sales. Pier 1 Imports Inc

reported its Q4 EPS at $0.48, versus the consensus of $0.47. PIR reported its Q4 revenue at $426.6 million, versus the consensus of $425.59 million. Constellation Brands Inc

is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.26 per share on revenue of $731.54 million. Rite Aid Corporation

is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.24 per share on revenue of $6.38 billion. Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc

surged about 9.4% in pre-market trading as the company reported its Q4 earnings at $283.5 million, or $1.12 per share, up from $226 million, or $0.86 per share, in the year-ago period. The company's sales increased around 12% to $2.50 billion. Sales at stores open at least a year, rose 8.5%. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.97 per share on revenue of $2.39 billion. BBBY projects Q1 earnings of $0.58 to $0.61 per share, versus analysts' estimates of $0.59 per share. ImmuCor Inc

reported its FQ3 earnings at $22.7 million, or $0.32 per share, up from $20.1 million, or $0.28 per share, in the year-ago period. The company's sales increased 4% to $83.3 million. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.27 per share on revenue of $81.8 million. BLUD now projects FY11 profit of $1.18 to $1.20 per share on revenue of $328 million to $330 million, up from its earlier guidance of $1.08 to $1.18 per share on revenue of $320 million to $332 million. However, analysts projected earnings of $1.14 per share on revenue of $326.9 million in fiscal 2011. European markets were mixed today. While STOXX Europe 600 Index has gained 0.30%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 0.03%. Asian markets ended mixed, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average gaining 0.07%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 0.12% and China's Shanghai Composite gaining 0.22%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.01% and India's Sensex dropped 0.11%. Nymex crude for May delivery rose $0.25 to $108.59 a barrel in electronic trading. The euro gained 0.5% to $1.4297 against the US dollar ahead of the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting. Read more