NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks appear headed for gains at the opening of trading, ahead of a weekly report on the job market.
Before the market opens Thursday, the Labor Department will release its weekly report on the number of people who filed for unemployment benefits. The forecast is that initial claims rose slightly to 398,000.
Retailers are also reporting their February revenue totals.
Oil prices remain above $100 a barrel. Concerns over the impact of high oil prices on the U.S. economy have rattled markets over the past week. Crude settled above $102 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time since September 2008.
Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 83 points, or 0.7 percent, to 12,129. S&P 500 futures are up 11, or 0.9 percent, to 1,317. Nasdaq 100 futures are up 18, or 0.8 percent, to 2,342.