U.S. Stock Futures Edge Up Ahead of Jobless Claims Data

The sharp rally in U.S. stocks this week appeared set to continue Thursday, with futures edging up ahead of weekly jobless claims data even as tensions with China mounted.

• American unemployment claims fell to 2.1 million last week
• Nasdaq contracts slip as Trump poised to penalize tech firms

Here are some key events coming up:

• Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell participates in a virtual discussion on Friday.
• Euro-area data due Friday is forecast to show consumer inflation fell to 0.1% in May from 0.4% the previous month.