US stock futures mixed on weekly jobs report
US stock futures mixed on jobs report and same-store sales from retailers
In this Wednesday, April 10, 2013, photo, Specialist Patrick Kenny, left, and trader Fred Demarco, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. World stock markets powered higher Thursday April 11, 2013 after a U.S. communications company posted a surprise jump in earnings that led to big gains in technology stocks and new highs on Wall Street. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stock futures were mixed Thursday as U.S. retailers posted March sales, and the government released jobs data.
Dow Jones industrial futures rose 17 points to 14,750. The broader S&P futures added 1.5 points to 1,584.20. Nasdaq futures fell 4.75 points to 2,848.50.
Same-store sales at Costco rose 4 percent last month, less than Wall Street had expected. The wholesale club cited volatile gasoline prices and foreign exchange rates.
Investors shook off the miss and Costco shares rose in premarket trading.
Jobs data posted by the Labor Department eased concerns about the weak March jobs report released Friday.
The number of Americans seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell sharply last week to a seasonally adjusted 346,000.
After the government said last week that businesses added only 88,000 jobs in March after averaging 220,000 the previous four months, the new figures suggest that a recovery is still underway.
