Wall Street Might Continue In Positive Territory

(RTTNews) - Investor sentiments are slightly positive on Thursday as oil prices started retreating on reduced global demand. Asian shares finished mixed on Thursday, while European shares are trading mostly up.

In the Asian trading hours, Brent crude futures fell 2.1 percent to $87.13 a barrel, gold prices inched lower. Spot gold fell 0.6 percent to $4,384.03 an ounce. The U.S. dollar was steady.

As of 8.00 am ET, the Dow futures were losing 19.00 points, the S&P 500 futures were losing 1.00 points and the Nasdaq 100 futures were slightly up 0.50 points.

The U.S. major averages finished mostly higher on Wednesday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 143.04 points or 0.5 percent to 26,588.49 and the S&P 500 rose 20.30 points or 0.3 percent to 7,748.50.

The Dow closed down 21.58 points or less than a tenth of a percent at 53,770.27.

On the economic front, the Jobless Claims for the week will be released at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is 203K, while it was up 199K in the prior week.

The PPI-Final demand for July will be issued at 8.30 am ET. The consensus is for an increase of 0.2 percent, while it was down 0.3 percent in the prior month.

The Energy Information Administration or EIA's Natural Gas report for the week is scheduled at 10.30 am ET. In the prior week, the gas stock was 33 bcf.

Twenty-year Treasury Bond auction will be held at 11.00 am ET. 30-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities or TIPS auction will be held at 11.00 am ET.

Thirty-year Treasury Bond auction will be held at 1.00 pm ET.

The Fed Balance Sheet for the week will be published at 4.30 pm ET. In the prior week, the Level was $6.749 trillion.

Asian stocks ended mixed on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite index ended half a percent lower at 3,926.96, giving up early gains. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slipped 0.17 percent to 25,396.51.

Japanese markets rose sharply. The Nikkei average climbed 1.16 percent to 68,308.59 while the broader Topix index closed 0.89 percent higher at 4,176.04.

Australian markets ended slightly lower. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.23 percent to 9,188.50, dragged down by mining stocks. The broader All Ordinaries index dropped 0.25 percent to 9,381.40.