US Stock Futures Down Ahead Of Economic Data

US stock futures are lower this morning, as investors are awaiting economic data. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 177 points to 11,204.00 and S&P 500 index futures fell 21.90 points to 1,168.00. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 44.00 points to 2,131.25.

US stocks closed mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 0.04% to 11,410.21, the S&P 500 index rising 0.09% to 1,193.88 and the Nasdaq 100 index dipping 0.47% to 2,511.48.

Data on first-time claims for unemployment benefits will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. The Labor Department is scheduled to release July consumer inflation data at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Dollar Tree Inc (NASDAQ: DLTR) is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.75 on revenue of $1.55 billion. Gap Inc (The) (NYSE: GPS) is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.33 on revenue of $3.35 billion.

Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ) is projected to report its Q3 EPS at $1.09 on revenue of $31.19 billion. Footlocker Inc (NYSE: FL) is estimated to report its Q2 EPS at $0.11 on revenue of $1.18 billion. Ross Stores Inc (NASDAQ: ROST) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $1.28 per share on revenue of $2.08 billion.

Gamestop Corporation (NYSE: GME) is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.22 on revenue of $1.83 billion. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE: SJM) is expected to report its FQ1 EPS at $1.08 on revenue of $1.25 billion. Aeropostale Inc (NYSE: ARO) is estimated to post a Q2 loss at $0.03 per share on revenue of $490.86 million.

NetApp Inc (NASDAQ: NTAP) reported FQ1 adjusted income at $0.55 per share on sales of $1.46 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.55 per share on sales of $1.5 billion.

JDS Uniphase Corporation (NASDAQ: JDSU) issued a weaker-than-expected revenue projections for the current quarter. However, the company reported upbeat fourth-quarter results.

European markets were lower today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index dropped 2.47%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 1.77%, French CAC 40 index fell 2.70% and German DAX 30 index dropped 3.73%.

Asian markets ended lower, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropping 1.25%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 1.20% and China's Shanghai Composite dropping 1.61%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.3444% and India's Sensex dipped 2.04%.

Nymex crude oil futures declined $1.26 to trade at $86.32 a barrel in electronic trade Thursday. However, gold futures gained $4.80 to trade at $1,798.60 an ounce.